Lie To Me
by StayFreeG3
Summary: When one night Orihime comes home to find Ichigo, her husband, in bed with sister-in-law Rukia, she falls apart trying to piece together a way to combat this dilemma and move forward. Unless someone else steals her away in the midst of this scandal.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Welcome everyone! PLEASE NOTE that Ichigo in this story will not be the same incredible hero that he is in the series! That goes for Rukia as well. Also this is an UlquiHime fic! Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but I sincerely hope everyone has a good time with this story. Rating may change due to mature themes. Hope you all enjoy!**

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**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any other copyrighted material.**

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Lie To Me Chpt.1

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In the beginning of everything, some might have called us a fairytale romance. A girl falls in love with a boy at the start of high school and said boy comes to love and return those feelings to said girl. Then, said girl marries said boy and they live happily ever after. That's how it was supposed to be. That was supposed to be our fate. Two high school sweethearts living out the rest of their days together. But that's not how it went.

I still remember the feelings I had that day when I walked into our little apartment after a long enduring night shift at the clinic. With too many people to care for and stitch up from a crazy Friday night where they were no doubt, dumbed by the alcohol rushing in their veins. I'd remembered that Ichigo had, had an enormous presentation that had gone tremendously well and before coming home purchased some white wine to celebrate his success. That was what any stereotypical good wife was supposed to do. I was **so** happy, humming cheerfully without a clue in the world on that last beautifully oblivious stroll home what I was about to stumble into. Ignorance was the truest bliss, and knowledge brings nothing but pain.

I unlocked the door to our apartment, room 173, on the third floor. It was quiet as I entered the spacious area, and I walked in sliding off my shoes carefully, because I wanted to surprise him. I laid the bottle of wine on the dining table slowly so it would make the least sound possible and began to walk back towards the bedroom in search of my orange-haired husband with a smile glued to my face in joy.

That's when I began to hear the moans.

The sounds that fall from lovers lips when affirming their affections. I remember feeling panic in my racing heart as I took those last steps to cover the distance to our bedroom. Who is here? The door was cracked open slightly allowing for a sliver of light to peer through from the softly illuminated room. I silently pushed open the door and my blissful, happy, ignorance was shattered. I remember in that moment that I felt like I was drowning. It was like all those euphoric, enchanting memories we'd created together were slipping away one by one with every creak of our bed, and being replaced by the burning image of my beloved Ichigo and sister-in-law Rukia. Rukia my friend. One of my best friends since high school. Why? Was all I could think. As I felt myself slipping out of my body, suffocating in the harsh reality and confusion at the scene before me. That beating thing inside my chest stopped. It was like I had died a slow grueling death. Every sigh, every gasp between them, was just another knife in my chest. I remember my body, which was not my own anymore, going into a kind of autopilot; stepping back from the scene returning the door to its previous barely cracked state. It was rewinding my steps, taking back the bottle of wine, Putting my shoes back on, and grabbing my purse and jacket. It quietly slipped outside of the door, and walked to the nearest dirtiest roach-infested motel it could find. Its feet moving of its own accord.

It checked in and once it came inside it sunk down on the floor in the sparse room returning to myself I felt the sting of betrayal nipping at my eyes eliciting stinging tears as I began crying. Tears stained the floor, the bed, the curtains, everything around me turned into to nothing but a blurry mess of salty water. I lost it, destroying the pillows in an attempt to recreate the pain I was feeling, and letting the feathers fly around me. I wanted to inflict this pain on something else, even if the only thing near was an inanimate object. The brokenness washed over me like ocean waves, stealing my breath. I'd lost everything.

I popped open the wine wanting relief from this pulsating wound that was skin-deep, and so I began drinking myself into a stupor. How could he do this to me? I thought downing another gulp of the wine. Was I not enough for him? I clawed at another pillow stumbling ungracefully. What would Sora think? Would he be disappointed in me? His little sister who couldn't even hold together a marriage? A failure, I am nothing but a failure.

The worst part of it all was that neither my unfaithful husband nor his mistress realized I'd caught them in their scandal. They were too absorbed in each other to realize that stupid and naïve woman falling apart at the doorway. The woman standing there breaking slowly at the sight of her Ichigo, whom she'd loved since she was 16, having an affair with a girl she'd considered family and known for the most of her life.

So here I am now, Orihime Inoue. 22 years old. Living in Karakura Town. Working as a nurse in Kurosaki Clinic and living with an unfaithful man.

Confused, lonely, and out of tears to shed I picked myself up that night. Unable to continue lying down on dirty, now vomit-stained floor of cheap shag carpet. I managed to make it into the searing hot shower, washing away all the evidence of tears and vomit laced with wine away, watching it all spin down the drain just like these last two years. I changed into the spare clothes I always kept with me just in case I needed to go somewhere after a shift in the clinic. I even applied make-up, looking the part of the dutiful ignorant wife, yet I couldn't recognize myself when I looked in the mirror. Those dead, fish-like eyes were not the ones that belonged to Orihime Inoue. But nobody knew yet about what I had seen, no one except me. And until I had a better grip on the reality of it all I would keep it that way. How do you go from loving someone for so long to not at all? Should I throw away what we had just like that? Or should I forgive him? Could I forgive him? These were the pathetic questions circulating in my frayed mind as I paraded myself to the lobby.

I pressed the 'L' button in the elevator and pulled out my phone as it screeched into movement. Seeing the missed calls from Ichigo, which were 5 in total as well as several texts, I ignored them placing my phone back into my purse and pulling out the battery. I would need an excuse. Maybe I could tell him I'd worked overtime and crashed at Rangiku's, that seemed believable enough. Rangiku. I could tell Rangiku, but…should I? She had enough relationship troubles of her own, certainly she didn't need me to add to that mess. I sighed unable to stand still, plagued by the scandal burning in my mind like a broken record stuck on its last note. Her small desperate hands on him…His heated lips smothering hers. The droplet of sweat rolling off of them in unison. Why? I covered my face with my hands. How was I supposed to confront something like this when I could barely walk without collapsing in memory? It was times like this when I really wished I had a mom. Someone to spill all my secrets to. Someone to love me unconditionally and hold me while I fell apart like moms do. Except I would never have that.

I checked the clock as I strolled out of the elevator straight-faced. 7 am.

It was time.

I thought solemnly. I felt more nervous than I had in a long time, no, maybe anxious was the better way to describe it. What would he say when I walked in the door? Would he treat me the same or differently? Was that even him and Rukia's first time? And what about Renji? My marriage certainly wasn't the only one in shambles now. Rukia was a married woman too. How could Ichigo do that to his stepbrother? He was supposed to be a better man than that. The man I married wouldn't have done that. I wondered if Renji even knew, if he'd had the same cold experience as I had. I felt the cold morning air swish through my long auburn hair, making it sway as I approached the apartment complex that I knew as home.

"Good morning Mrs. Kurosaki." The attendant at the front desk greeted me cheerfully. That title had used to fill me with an elating joy but now it didn't sound quite right. It seemed kind of out of place. Just like me. But I was playing a part. I'm Orihime Kurosaki, the ignorant dutiful wife.

"Good morning Chizuru-san!" I smiled trying to look as upbeat as possible so she wouldn't see through my precarious façade.

"Did something happen Mrs. Kurosaki?" There it was again, that meaningless title accompanied with fake concern.

"Mr. Ichigo was extremely concerned and asked me to call as soon as I saw you." Really? Was he that concerned? He was sleeping with Rukia now wasn't he? He could just bury all that concern right between her thighs if he was that worried.

"Oh no, I'm fine really! Just a late night at work, my phone died as well so I guess it did seem like something was wrong haha." She smiled and let a small bogus giggle escape her lipstick smeared lips.

"Mrs. Kurosaki you're always doing things like this haha, you should be more careful! I can see why Mr. Ichigo was so worried." Her laugh was obviously insincere but her words made me upset. Why couldn't things just have stayed the same…

"Well please excuse me Chizuru-san I should probably go and reassure Kurosaki-kun." I smiled, again, tilting my head trying to look apologetic.

"Take care Mrs. Kurosaki!" I decided to take the stairs to prolong my ascent to the third floor. I felt like I was going to vomit. There was a hard rock in the pit of my stomach and seemed to be getting heavier with each step. Oh crap and there was the door to the third floors hallway.

Ignorant dutiful wife…Ignorant dutiful wife…until you figure things out…I repeated over and over in my head until I reached the door engraved with the numbers 173. I held up a fist to knock but felt afraid to touch it. The tanned wood seemed like the only thing that could protect me from what was on the other side of this door.

_Knock..knock..knock.._

"Come in." His voice called from the other side. I took a deep breath preparing the script in my head for the conversation we were about to have. My heart was beating faster and faster the closer my hand got to the door handle. I turned the knob slowly.

I allowed the soft light to engulf me as I stood before him awaiting his reaction. Ichigo was perched at the bar with a pensive look on his face, and his interlocked hand resting below his chin. He raised his intense stare to me, his face immediately flooding with sickening relief.

"Orihime." He stood immediately and rushed by my side as I hung up my accessories, avoiding his gaze. He pulled me into an uncharacteristic hug.

"Are you okay? Where were you? I called you but you didn't answer." I knew what I was supposed to say but the words wouldn't come. It was like my lips were sealed shut for fear of spewing out questions I wasn't supposed to ask yet.

I could smell him. His musky scent that left me in so much heartache that I felt like crying. I used to find comfort in this scent but now that Rukia knew that smell now too it felt like poison in my lungs. Rukia had seen Ichigo the way I was only supposed to see Ichigo. My hands remained dangling at my side like stiff dead tree limbs.

"Orihime?" He released me and pulled away to look at me, with a concerned expression that made his brows scrunch together. My heart hurt looking into his dark brown eyes. Why wasn't he saying anything about it? Why wouldn't he come clean? He always told the truth. Honesty was one of his greatest virtues.

Finally I tore my gaze away and looked at the floor, forcing another apologetic smile to hide the overwhelming desire to cry.

"S-sorry! I got caught up late at work and I was just so tired that I stayed the night at Rangiku's. I would have called but my phone died." I said straining to keep my voice from breaking.

"Alright." He said cautiously but I knew that he sensed something was not quite right between us.

"Sorry I'm just really tired." I said leaning back against the counter of the granite-top bar. I didn't sound like myself. I didn't feel like myself for that matter either. Who would? Honestly who could have done what I just did without being off? Ichigo walked towards me I kept my stare at the floor, knowing if I took another long meaningful look into his eyes I would start to come apart and begin tearing apart everything in sight. He stood right before me bending down to reach my forehead and placing a swift kiss on my pale skin. All I could think was about how much I had wanted this to work out, and about how many feelings were swirling around inside of me right now. Betrayal. Love. Confusion. Everything was upside down and turned around and I felt like a dumb hopeless female character inside of the Twilight saga.

"You should get some sleep Orihime." I held steady breathing in his torturous scent again. Why did I love this man in front of me so much that it was breaking me in two?

"Ichigo…" Was all I could manage to say. In every syllable it held so much more meaning than he would perceive. What I wanted to say was something along the lines of 'how could you?' or 'why am I not enough for you?' Yet, instead I stood there paralyzed in a traumatized state of affliction.

When he finally backed away from me I went and laid on the couch while he brought me blankets and pillows like he actually cared and asked me why I insisted on being on the couch instead of the bed. My excuse was that I just didn't want to make him sick in case I was coming down with something to which he teased me saying 'Inoue you're so strange'.

Ichigo went to work around 10 am. Leaving me in our home, alone. I sat there for a while holding myself together literally. Swaddling myself in a white comforter trying to hide the way I felt from even myself. But the memories poured over me in rushes and suddenly I had the urge to pull out the scrapbooks of the journey I'd had with Ichigo so far, as well as all our friends. I walked with eyes closed towards the master bedroom braving myself. And as I walked into that once comfortable room and felt nothing but anguish. This was the very spot that I was standing was where I had lost myself. I paced along the sides of the bed, biting my lip. It was made neatly as if nothing had ever happened on it. How ironic that the color of the bed was white, a color that stands for purity and faithfulness. It should've been red. I thought as my mind ran through all the sinful acts that had been committed here. I stripped away my clothes placing them in a lifeless heap beside the bed and pulled out one of Ichigo's long white button downs, shrugging it on in sadness. All the whimsy and pleasure I'd felt in this room was now stained with hurt. A hurt that was continuing to grow bigger inside me.

I knelt beside the bookcase and pulled out the album of our first two years together as well as the one I'd made of high school years. A DVD labeled 'Wedding Day' caught my eye and I pulled that as well. I laid the books on the coffee table and placed the DVD in its slot and walked towards the granite tops of the kitchen. I opened the silver door of the fridge pulling out some more wine. I poured a large glass and went back to the couch. Alcohol rushing down my throat as I pressed play on the tape wanting to relive the glory of that day one last time before I gave it all up. I needed to do something. I pulled open my scrapbook from high school first and flipped through the pages. Me and Tatsuki looked so young. My hair was short compared to now and straight as a board with bangs. I looked like a bubbly care-free teenager, and Tatsuki's hair was still the same as it had been in high school. Purple and spiky. I missed my best friend. She had moved to America about a year after high school. I only saw her on holidays now. I watched as slowly Ichigo began to come into the picture of our little high school clique. As well as Nel, then Grimmjow of course, Renji, Ichigo, Chad, Uryuu, Rukia, and then Rangiku and Gin and…then there was one person I couldn't name right away. His dark raven hair and piercing emerald green eyes seemed so familiar though. Oh! Ulquiorra, of course. Ulquiorra Cifer was the one who was always calm and collected. He faded into the background. He was very quiet and intense, and always seemed indubitably shy with his dark square framed glasses and soft-spoen voice. I wondered if he and Grimmjow were still in touch. They had been best friends after all.

After seeing all the happy faces throughout the album I noticed something. Only in one or two pictures though. Before me and Ichigo were dating there were two instances in which I was looking at Ichigo and when the time I thought he also was looking back at me it seemed now that he was looking at the person right beside me. Rukia. I looked around to make sure I was completely alone and began to cry pitifully. Did this really start all those years ago or was I just being insane? Teary-eyed and a little bit drunk I snatched the photo from the scrapbook and walked over to the trashcan grabbing a lighter from the nearest droor. I set fire to it, watching turn to ashes erasing another memory that had been stained by her with a smirk on my watery face muttering 'good riddance' under my breath. I walked back to my seat seeing that the video had just gotten to the part where we said our 'I do's'.

"_Do you Ichigo Kurosaki take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?"_

"_I do."_

I felt a single hot teardrop begin to roll from my reddened cheek.

"_And do you Orihime Inoue take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?"_

"_Yes, absolutely I do."_

Why did that moment seem so far away now? The crowd of all of our loved ones cheered as we had our first kiss as Mr. and Mrs. Kurosaki. A sob escaped the vice seal of my lips. I still loved him. I still loved him so much. And I was only torturing myself even further by flipping through our first years of marriage together dripping tears on a few pages until I couldn't take it anymore. I clutched the albums to my chest crying out loud in anguish and physical pain furiously trying to wipe away tears and images that couldn't be undone by trying to wil it to go away. It felt like my heart was going to burst at the seams, and tear itself apart muscle by muscle. Every fiber in my being was calling out for relief from this horrid agony consuming me.

I called out Ichigo's name over and over falling onto the floor with the comforter's heat sliding away I crawled onto the hardwood throwing a tantrum like a child. And I lost track of time in that deliriously angry state. My fists clenched as I screamed at the ceiling demanding answers.

Seconds turned into minutes, and minutes turned into hours as I laid there in deep delirium. I moved an aching hand to my pocket retrieving my phone. I sent Rangiku and Nel a text asking them to meet me for an important discussion. A few minutes later and they both agreed asking if everything was alright. I didn't respond. I shook my head lying there and staring at the shadows on the ceiling. What would I say to them? How could I tell them that some of their best friend's marriages were ruined? Questions circulated in my mind until I fell into an exhausted well-deserved rest.

Later in the night I woke to the feeling myself being uplifted by strong familiar arms. The striking familiar scent of another encasing me as I was held against the hard chest of another, hearing his slow heartbeat.

_Badump…badump…badump…badump…_

That heart…wasn't it supposed to belong to me?


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Here's chapter 2! I love seeing what you guys think! Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any other copyrighted material.**

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Lie To Me Chpt.2

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When I woke up in the morning I realized exactly where I was. I was in the bedroom. And next to me, was Ichigo. I scanned over the features of his face admiring the tranquility that settled in his normally serious expression. I'd fallen in love with this nose, that mouth, and with these eyes. I felt another pang of sadness. Oh Ichigo…

I reached out my hand wanting to run it through his spiky orange tresses but fell short. I was unable to touch him, unable to look at him without seeing the look on his face while he was pile driving **her**.

I slipped out of the bed realizing I had about an hour before I was supposed to meet Nel and Rangiku. I showered quickly and shrugged on the clothes that I'd locked in the bathroom with me. I wanted to avoid him and didn't want to see his face.

I didn't want to love him.

I hated how I loved him.

It hurt too much.

I blew my long waves of red hair until they were dry and put my game face on imagining I was the quarterback of a national football team. I needed the council of my best friends, my defensive linemen. I couldn't keep up this act for much longer. The ignorant dutiful wife needed to be cast out and thrown away. Though in truth, I was still not a hundred percent sure on what exactly I was going to say to them. How would they react? What would they say?

Slipping out of the bathroom found that Ichigo was still asleep. He had work at 10 am today and it was already 9, but I didn't wake him. I slipped out of the room wordlessly and listened to the small rasps of my feet as I walked into the kitchen and then I stopped.

Play your part Orihime. Be a good wife.

I grabbed the nearest paper and pen and wrote a small note just so Ichigo wouldn't alert the front desk again.

_Went to get coffee with Nel and Rangiku._

_\- Hime_

I even started a pot of coffee hoping the aroma of the zesty brew would awake him so I wouldn't feel guilty. I straightened out the skirt I was wearing and adjusted the fabric on the creamy blouse adorning my figure and slipped on the black heels that were sitting upright by the doorway. As I opened the door having one foot inside the apartment and one foot out I looked behind me. I shook my head closing the tanned door shut and locking it up tight. It was over…it was so over.

I walked down the street confidently ready to face the music. As I neared the coffee shop that was right beside a flower shop the soothing scents of lavender and muffins swept me off my feet. I had always wanted to work in a bakery, maybe one day I would even be able to own one.

When I walked into the store I was greeted by a frivolous hug from a boisterous Nel. The busty woman wailing about how we never do these kinds of things anymore. That was when I realized the large bulge pressing against me. Once Nel released me and stepped back and took in her large appearance particularly in the stomach region. She was preganant. Really, REALLY pregnant.

"Huh? What is it Hime?" she questioned while I gawked at her, slack-jawed.

I covered my hanging mouth with my hands gasping in delight.

"Nel! Y-You're pregnant!"

She laughed joyfully placing both hands around her rounded stomach looking like a true mom.

"I wanted to surprise you and Rangiku when I saw you here today so I kept it a secret." She said tapping a finger against her chin.

I walked toward the girl bending slightly to place a single hand on her tummy. Nel was having a child! Oh wow, Grimmjow must be having a heart attack since he was now going to be a dad.

"How far along are you Nel? This is so wonderful!" I cooed, while she blushed running a hand through her unruly turquoise hair. She'd cut it short so that it bounced with each step she took, mimicking her crazy personality.

"I'm about 7 months in" she smiled.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner!?" She blushed again puffing out her cheeks.

"Well me and Grimm didn't really know about it until a couple of weeks ago when it really started to show, so we went to the hospital and _vwa la_! We're having twins!"

"T-Twins? As in two babies? Two?" this was blowing my mind. We really did need to catch up like this more often.

"Do you know what they are yet?" She just about exploded with joy from excitement.

"A girl and a boy!" I giggled and laughed with her embracing her while jumping up and down in deliriously happy for her news. I even forgot about the reason why I'd called her there in the first place. She seemed to remember too.

"So Hime what's going on? Are you okay?" My smile faded into a frown. I looked away from my beautiful friend who was enjoying her life to the fullest with her husband Grimmjow and expecting babies. She was glowing in contentment and portrayed the radiance of a healthy relationship. I couldn't help but feel a little envious. Grimmjow was a rough and somewhat unpredictable guy but he would never cheat on Nel. No, he loved her too much for that. Ever since high school he had only had eyes for her. They went through rough times of course, we all did, but they'd sorted through it together.

"Well…first where's Rangiku?" Nel sighed looking at her watch.

"Rangiku is always late." I laughed at the statement. It was so true. She was ALWAYS late. But that's one of the things that made Rangiku fun.

"Sorry! I'm here!" I heard a womans voice exasperate from the entrance to the little shop. Speak of the devil.

"Rangiku! By now I would think you'd have learned how to get somewhere on time!" Nel teased. Rangiku slung an arm over my shoulder still panting.

"I said I was sorry didn't I? Besides do you know how exhausting it is to lug these things around?" She complained breathleslly. I laughed looking over the two of them. When Rangiku saw Nel her reaction was priceless. She bear-hugged Nel crying about how we'd both grown so much. Rangiku was like the older sister I'd never had. She was always there if I needed her. She was hard on me sometimes but I could tell her anything. She looked like she hadn't aged at all since high school. Rangiku had graduated about three years before the rest of us, as well as Gin. They were an interesting couple. They didn't get married yet they'd lived together for about 7 years now. Rangiku always said that marriage was just a piece of paper. But in truth I think she was afraid to be tied down even though we all knew she'd never leave Gin. They'd been through so much together. I remembered the day that I'd found out Rangiku was pregnant. After waiting all 9 months ready to deliver their baby girl, how excited she was. I also remember her bone-chilling screams when she saw her baby for the first time. Still born, cold, gray, and lifeless. I remember the heartbreak on her face as she held that child, her cries doing nothing but expressing the void her death left inside of her. Gin said nothing. He did nothing. He stood there silently falling apart beside her. Those were hard times. But that was behind us. It was in the past and here she was now. Happy and smiling.

As Nel retold the story of how she found out she was pregnant we all sat down. I became uncharacteristically silent. I wasn't sure how to intervene my own sad secret into this happy mix. But eventually once the conversations between them died down they turned their eyes to me. Sitting there quietly sipping coffee. And they grew silent.

"Hime, what's going on? You never replied last night." Nel asked quietly as if, if she spoke to loud or too suddenly her voice would pierce through me like a bullet. Ripping through my skin, tissue, muscle, bone. The atmosphere became cold and unsettling so I decided it was time to speak. I sat my cup down on the wooden table. And took a deep breath feeling my heart begin to race. Beads of nervous sweat began to form on along my forehead. It's time, Orihime.

"Ichigo…is cheating on me." When I said the sentence aloud it became real. This was real. This was really happening. I saw the disbelief painted clearly on each of their faces with their open mouthed and cross browed expressions.

"W-what?" Rangiku studdered.

"How do you know Hime?" Nel inquired.

I covered my eyes taking sudden interest in the brown floor of the shop not wanting to let them see the apathetic look in my eyes.

"I caught him…w-with Rukia…" Another audible gasp erupted from the two.

"They didn't even see me. I just stood there watching, and they didn't even look." I whispered hoarsely, trying to keep my composure.

"What…What did you say?" Rangiku asked moving to take one of my hands in hers while Nel mimicked her motion with the other.

"That's why I asked you to come here, actually. I haven't said anything to him yet." I pushed their comforting hands away clasping mine together in my lap.

"He doesn't know that I know."

Rangiku ran a hand through her long blonde tresses.

"When did this happen?"

"Two days ago." I said solemnly.

"Hime, I'm so so sorry." Nel sympathized, tears collecting in her hazel eyes.

"I can't believe that asshole would screw his own stepbrother's wife." I nodded. Still unsure of how to deal with the magnitude of the impact this news would have on the entire Kurosaki family.

"You have to tell him, Hime." Nel stated flatly. Rangiku nodded, clearly agitated for my sake.

"Yes," Nel agreed, "you have to leave him Hime surely, you are welcome at the Jeagerjacques any time."

I smiled at her reassurance but shook my head.

"But…" I said softly. I shuddered cursing myself for what I said next.

"But I still love him."

They both sat their dumbfounded yet understanding. They were probably thinking about what the both of them would do if they were in my shoes right now. How do you fix something like this? Can you fix something as broken as this?

"Is there…is there any way I can save this?" I cried. Rangiku stood whilst Nel tried to take ahold of my hands again crying over me. The strawberry blonde strode beside me encircling me in her forceful comforting embrace.

"That's something only you know, Orihime." I winced.

"You need to talk to him Orihime but…" She placed her hands on each of my rosy cheeks, forcing me to look her straight in the eyes.

"This is not your fault." I nodded and pulled away from them. The more words that I heard the more I began to realise there's a limit to love. The question is how far are you willing to go before you reach yours? The one thing that came into perfect clarity as I sat there between my two friends; I needed to talk to Ichigo. I couldn't just die inside while I played ignorant with him. No matter how messed up my life was about to become. No matter how much it hurt. I had questions, questions only he could answer.

When it reached about 11 am we parted ways. Each three of us walking in a different direction. They assured me that I had a place in each of their homes but I refused. I couldn't be someone else's burden. This was my problem. Even though they would be there for support, I had to face this head on and alone.

As I neared closer and closer to the Karakura Apartment's I began to plan my next move. I definetly wanted to hear what Ichigo had to say about the matter. But if I ended up leaving and taking time away, where would I go? What about my job? I entered our apartment relived he wasn't there waiting and picked up the paper in the doorway of our little dwelling. I began scouring over the open jobs under the title Health &amp; Medicine. I found a few open spots for nurses with experience in trauma at the Aizen Center for Women and Children. That was only a few blocks away from the clinic. I searched for the empty resume's we always had on hand and pulled out a blank one waiting to be filled with all my accomplishments. I filled it out updating it making it seem so much more robust than any of the tasks written there actually were.

"Okay, check." I said aloud trying to complete the list in my head of things to have together before Ichigo returned. I ran back into Ichigo's little home office in case he needed to complete things at home that he couldn't at the law firm which he worked at. Urahara and Law Association was the most renowned firm for its defense attorneys in all of Japan. Ichigo was a shoo in because of our connections with its founder and CEO Kisuke Urahara. Grimmjow also made use of that connection. Through Nel I'd just found out now that Grimmjow had been promoted as well among the ranks of the officers in Karakura to Captain. This was huge news meaning Grimmjow oversaw the entire county of Karakura in Japan.

Among the many items in this messy little office I rummaged around to find our laptop. I searched for nearest apartments and found a lovely little complex called Las Noches. The place really was divine. They had limited space but the rent was certainly within my price range. Some of the rooms even had a terrace where you could hang flowers. But whoever the designer was certainly loved the color white because the place literally shined with the color covering every square inch of it.

I decided to make a true list of all the things I might need to buy if I really took this big of a leap. Curtains, bath mats, groceries, etc…

I looked through the empty files inside of the large mahogany desk which the laptop sat upon and pulled out a clean manila cardstock holder. I placed the list along with my resume and clippings from the newspaper about open jobs around town. This felt so hard. I could already feel the gap between me and Ichigo growing with every second we spent apart. I laid the manila folder on the bar. I walked hesitantly towards the master bedroom. I thought about all the things we'd done in here. I pulled one if his shirts from his dresser shrugging it on over my cream blouse and falling carelessly back onto the bed letting my hair flare across every corner. I closed my eyes and breathed in his stinging scent running over all the time I'd given myself to him, over and over. Given more and more until I'd lost myself in him.

"Ichigo."

I breathed his name. He was so tall and handsome. Everything about him made my heart race. His deep rough voice and those intense mysterious brown eyes.

Even though everything inside me wanted him, everything inside me was also repulsed by him. It was like a tragic paradox.

I became unnerved looking at the bed. The beautiful comforter, embroidered with little intricate floral designs. It was all too white.

I sighed pulling myself away from blissful melancholic thoughts of Ichigo. He had betrayed me. The one person to whom I'd entrusted all my hopes.

I pulled out my suit case and duffel bag and began packing what I would need to spend the night somewhere. I would probably go to Nel's. I hadn't seen Grimmjow in a long time. He wasn't even able to make it to last Christmas because he'd been asked to work overtime that day. Even though Rangiku's place was probably more suitable considering she wasn't pregnant or married. Yet for some reason I felt I shouldn't.

Everything was set and ready to go. I placed the bags beside the doorway and slipped the manila folder somewhere safe until I could retrieve it during the day tomorrow.

Now all I had to do was wait. I leaned against the aisle by the fridge restlessly. I glared at the clock trying to will it to move faster. After a few minutes of intensely staring at the two hands I gave up and poured a small glass of wine to settle my bouncing nerves.

I didn't have to wait long. By the time Ichigo arrived home I hadn't even finished my glass of wine. The yellow tinted liquid circulating around the fragile interior cup as I moved my hand around in a spherical motion watching it go around and back, around and back.

"What is all this Orihime?" His question pulled me from my trance like state and I lifted my gaze to meet his. He was gesturing toward the bags by the door. I set down my glass against the granite carelessly. I still hadn't said anything. I wasn't sure how I should phrase my opening argument.

I turned away from Ichigo not being able to concentrate with him staring at me with those eyes. I heard his large footsteps near me.

"Orihime, what's wrong?" I could sense his arms coming closer towards me. I moved away from him rushing towards the opposite wall, whipping around to face him.

"First you don't come home, and then you fall asleep on the floor with all of our wedding photos and now-"I pushed his hands away from me as he came to close, keeping distance between us.

"Don't touch me." I snarled.

He was dumbfounded. Confused and concerned. What a good husband. I thought sarcastically.

"I know, Ichigo." I said calmly beginning to feel anger rise within me. It sent heat throughout my body like flames of a fire licking at me, burning.

"Know what-"

"I know Ichigo!" I screamed at him, lacing every syllable with the hurt and fury I felt, whilst hot tears began to collect along my red-rimmed eyes.

I watched as his face contorted into one of understanding and regret, infuriating me even further.

"I'm sorr-"

"How could you?!" I screamed hurling my fists at him in anger wanting him to realize what he'd done. He tried to stop my attacks, grabbing at my wrists until he pinned me against the nearest wall, overpowering me.

"Orihime, stop." He ordered, I continued to struggle in his grip rebelliously.

"Orihime!" He yelled, taking on a authoritative tone. While I gave up on fighting him I still put everything into the fierce daggers I was shooting at him through my glistening eyes.

"I'm sorry." He rose his voice again. Still holding me captive.

"I'm so…so sorry, Orihime…I'm sorry…" his voice broke and he slowly lessened his grip until his hands dropped beside his hips.

"When did it start Ichigo?" I asked stoicly, feeling like everything was beginning to look black and white.

"About a month ago…" he replied hoarsely. I gripped the fabric of his shirt tightly. Clenching it in my fists.

"Why?" I asked shakenly. My anger only spreading though me with greater heat.

When he didn't answer I shook his trembling form. Not recognizing the shell in front of me.

"Why?!" I demanded. Staring him straight in the eyes.

"It was an accident.."

"An accident?" I laughed slumping against the wall using both my hands to pull my hair back from my face in exasperation.

"It didn't really look like it was an accident on Wednesday." He froze, tensing at the realization of exactly what my words meant.

"You saw us?" he asked softly, mortified as I nodded.

"How could you Ichigo?...How could you do this to me?...To Renji?" I ased feeling the familiar sharpness of tears threatening to spill. He placed a hand on my cheek in an attempt to comfort my trembling form as I shook in rage and disappointment.

"Orihime I'm so sorry." He kept repeating over and over as I stood before him. That seemed to be all he could say. I'm so sorry Orihime. Over and over until I was sick of it.

I don't know how long we stayed like that standing in front of each other. He had betrayed me. My Ichigo…had betrayed me…

Eventually as the time wore on I became more and more numb. I fell into a state of apathy towards him. I slumped away from the wall leaving my husband standing there on the floor before me.

"I'm leaving." I said lifelessly. My words stirred panic inside him. His fearful gaze coming nearer again as raced toward me.

"Wait, Orihime." I continued walking towards the door grabbing my belongings as he scrambled towards me. I turned sharply delivering a stinging _slap!_ to his open cheek as he stood there wide-eyed and speechless.

"It hurts to love you."

"Orihime!" he called as I shut the door in his face, walking away. It was over. Curtain call had come and my role as the dutiful ignorant wife was finally finished.

I hobbled towards the street and managed to flag down a cab and hitch a ride to Nel and Grimmjow's. When I appeared at the door with mascara streaking my cheeks Nel hurried me inside. Grimmjow took my bags just as confused as Nel was.

I spent the rest of rocking slowly on my side staring blankly at the wall tears trailing over the bridge of my nose.

It was finished.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Tah dah! Here's chapter 3. For those of us here in the states as you know it is Spring Break and you also know that this glorious vacation away from school ends tomorrow : ( I will do my very best to continue posting a chapter each day or every other day, but all updates on the progression of this story can be found on my bio! Enjoy!**

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**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any other copy-righted material.**

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Lie To Me Chpt.3

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The days following the confrontation seemed to slip by me in fast motion. All that planning I had done beforehand couldn't have prepared me for the way I felt now. I was torn. Torn between wanting him back and wanting him gone. Still all my questions hadn't been answered. I bit off more than I could chew trying to settle out all my feelings in one night and then run away into a future I hadn't done the best planning/preparing for. Love really screws up your life sometimes I guess.

I pondered over what Ichigo meant by 'it was an accident.'

What did that mean? Had he developed feelings for her after this said accident? I knew he hadn't always loved her. He had loved me, through and through, I was sure of that. At least I was pretty sure of that. He had married **me **afterall. But I needed clarification, and closure. I needed all the gory details about this affair. And I really needed to talk to Renji. Even though I wasn't sure if it was my place…I would want him to tell me if he knew. Poor Renji…

I also really needed to look further into the Las Noches housing situation as well. Not that Nel and Grimmjow weren't perfectly okay with letting me stay with them but…I didn't think I could take another night watching Grimmjow stare at Nel with that hungry look a predator gives its prey when it's about to strike.

Yeah…they needed some time…alone.

I repacked all of my things neatly into the luggage I'd brought with me and set them aside. I straightened out the dark violet sheets across the queen sized bed and placed all the throw pillows that were assorted shades of purple back in their respectable places with the utmost of care. I wanted it to look like I'd never been here in the first place. I stalked through the house tiptoeing like a burglar admiring all the pictures adorning the walls. I noticed a few of Grimmjow with his arm slung around Ulquiorra, and cheesy, wide-grinned smile plastered on while the later had a tight-lined bored look on his face. I guess they had kept in touch. I was pretty pleased with my stalking skills until the wheel of my suitcase hitched on something and I splattered all over the floor like a knocked over drink. Grimmjow came running out clad in his neatly pressed navy uniform with the title 'captain', and a toothbrush stuck in the side of his mint-foamed mouth. When he took in the scene before him he tried his best not to spew out the toothpaste in his cheeks from laughter. He ran back into the bathroom spat and rinsed and returned chuckling maniacally whilst I sat defeated on the ground pointing a finger at me while he cackled. After he had a good long laugh he offered a hand to me.

"You're as clumsy as ever, Princess." Ugh. That darn nickname would haunt me for the rest of my days. Ever since that one time a foreign exchange student from America mistook me for some red head princess in England. Grimmjow would never let it down.

"I thought I told you not to call me that Grimmjow!" I said as he yanked my scrambled body up from the floor with so much force that I collided with him.

"Whoops, I guess I pulled a little too hard…Princess." He smirked at me baring his now glistening teeth as I pouted, somewhat irritated and flustered with my inability to walk five steps without tripping. Grimmjow was still the same, smart mouthed rebel that he was five years ago and five years before that. His hair was still the same electric blue it had always been. It was like he wanted to make a statement to everyone that met him that he didn't care what they thought. He was different, and he wasn't afraid to show that to anyone, not that he could really help it since it was a genetic anomaly in his family. But still, I had always admired that part of Grimmjow. Despite his brute like actions he had a big heart and the strength to endure anything life threw his way.

"What's all this?" He asked raising an eyebrow at the pile of bags on the floor. I laughed nervously.

"Well I've more than stayed my welcome by now. I still have quite a few things to sort out with Ichigo too." I said the last part more quietly, and his eyes narrowed.

"Well," He placed large hand on my shoulder and patted it twice, harder than necessary I might add.

"You're welcome here anytime Princess." I smiled warmly at his words and nodded shuffling my clumsy self and belongings out the door. I flagged down another cab and headed towards room 173. Clarification, closure, and packing. That was my plan, and as good as it was going to get. I was going to go from there but first I had something I needed to do. A little tick of mine I guess you could call it. I had the cab pull over to the nearest utilities store and wait. I walked into the building filled wall to wall with bed sets and fine china smirking.

I ransacked through the king size sets until I found the perfect color. Scarlet. I even went through the trouble of buying matching pillows just to satisfy my own small way of revenge.

Somehow after a lot of heavy breathing and three flights of stairs I had managed to drag all of the newly purchased bedding and pink suitcases to room 173. I used my golden room key to twist the lock until I heard the satisfying _click. _I held my breath and pushed inside. No one was home but the place was a complete wreck. Just what exactly had Ichigo managed to do in the three days I'd been gone. There were pictures frames that were broken on the floor and hanging sideways like someone had punched them. Glass from what I could guess was beer bottles littered the floor, making it glitter in a beautiful yet catastrophic way. The dishes were piled high all across the aisle of the countertop. I ventured in further using my foot to clear away an area safe to place my things so that they wouldn't get cut up by the shards.

Chairs were turned over, some broken and the table wasn't straight. The bathroom mirror was shattered. The reflective surface portraying a very jagged reflection of myself that seemed like an elaborate jigsaw puzzle. The shower curtain was laying inside the bathroom tub. As I walked back into the bedroom though only one thing laid untouched in the wreckage. The dresser that held my clothes was unscathed.

What had happened here? It looked like a tornado had literally came through. I eyed the bed mischievously, pulling all of the garments away and stripping it down to its bare mattress. I folded the white sheets and blankets and stuffed them into hall closet. I then dragged the new darker furnishings and laid them across the surface. Everything looked the same minus the color. I smirked, pleased with my little prank wondering if he would even realize the symbolic meaning of the change. Oh well. I slid my hands up to cup my cheeks staring at the monstrosity of a mess before me. I sighed closing my eyes shut tight breathing deeply. Was Ichigo hurting too and is that why he did this?

I pulled all of my clothing from my bags, setting the washer on high and dumping in some floral scented cleanser. I watched the frothy substance mix in with the clear water coating all the articles of clothing thoroughly and then shut the lid and set about cleaning the apartment. I was probably a little insane for doing something so kind for someone who had hurt me so bad but…I was better than too let him rot in this place amongst his own misery that was clear as day from the mess he'd made. Plus, Ichigo was hopeless in the home cleaning department. I'd fixed just about everything and gotten it all looking just the way I'd left it before except for the dishes when I heard the sound of the front door being swung open abruptly. I tensed as I heard his footsteps clomp inside.

_Thump…thump…thump…_

"What the hell…" I laid down the bowl I'd been holding loud enough to indicate my presence. He looked horrible. His hair was a mess and he wasn't wearing a tie. His shirt was untucked and he had bags under his eyes showing that he hadn't gotten a lick of sleep in the last few nights.

"Orihime…" He called faintly reaching out with one hand towards me. It was covered in cuts and bruises. His other hand held a grocery bag containing bottles of liquor. It was worse than I thought.

I held out a hand to stop his advancement towards me. I wasn't about to let him touch me.

"I need to t-talk with you about…things." Darn it, I was starting to let my emotions betray me. I took another deep breath. Clarification, closure and packing. That was all that I came back here for.

"Why don't you sit down?" I suggested calmly gesturing towards the barstool under the island. He complied silently, sauntering towards me. He sank down into the chair waiting for my next question. Be strong Orihime.

"When you said it was an accident…what did you mean?" Ichigo shifted slightly resting his cheek on his palm staring at me hungrily like I was a piece of meat.

"It had been a really rough couple of days at work…and it was also mom's birthday." he looked up into my eyes something was amiss there, like he was hiding something from me.

"Me and you were in a fight about god only knows and I got really drunk. And then…" He paused clenching his fists so tight that his knuckles turned white.

"Rukia…Rukia was there too and we were just talking about our problems and then she got drunk and started crying about Renji. She kept saying she felt so alone and it…it just happened!" He smacked his fist against the countertop making me flinch. He was trembling in what I assumed was regret and anger towards himself.

"It was an accident Orihime! An accident…" He pleaded with me his eyes begging for forgiveness. Accident or not, I was his wife. He should have been telling me his problems. Not his stepbrother's woman.

"Two years Ichigo…two years down the drain…" I recalled that delirious night spent in the motel as he stood abruptly gripping the table and raising his voice again.

"I'm sorry! How many times do I need to say it? What do I have to do to get you to believe me?" Now it was turn to smack my fist against the counter.

"I know you're sorry!" My shrill tone silenced him. We stared into each other's eyes. It was like a mental war. Fire on fire. That ended once he realized he couldn't win. He couldn't right this wrong and he dropped his gaze in defeat the embers smoldering.

"Do you love her?" I asked feeling my beating heart panic in anticipation of his answer.

His hesitation only further served to increase my fear.

"I-I don't know Orihime!" He shouted shaking his head gripping at his hair frustrated.

I nodded turning away from him biting my trembling lip. Nothing could express the contempt I felt in that moment towards Ichigo, towards Rukia, towards the world. And it wasn't fair to have been the one hung out to dry, after all the years of tears I'd shed and compromises I'd made for him.

"How many times?" I asked after a while.

"What?" he asked, puzzled.

"How many times did you and Rukia have an 'accident'?" I clarified coldly. The question unsettled him.

"Orihime I don't think-"

"How many times Ichigo." I whispered my voice dropping lower.

"Five."

Five times…oh God.

I took in a deep shaking breath and turned away from him again leaning against the counter, mouth agape.

"Orihime…" he said softly. I didn't answer and continued to stay there in the silence.

"Orihime." He said with more insistence. I still declined to speak unable to trust my voice at the moment. I heard him stand and come towards me cautiously. His arms were tensed in anticipation for an attack but I inflicted no harm on him.

I honestly didn't know what to do. What to say. How to feel. I'd gotten my clarification all right. But how was I supposed to get closure.

"Hime…" He whispered leaning his forehead against mine. Ichigo was only unguarded like this with me. Normally he came off as stern and serious about everything but I knew him better than that, I'd gotten past all those defenses. There was no games with me.

"What are you thinking?" He questioned quietly. I sighed still staring at nothing in particular. Honesty was something I wanted right? It was something every relationship needed. But this brutal assaulting truth that he'd knowingly concealed about him and Rukia five different times was enough to make me shiver.

"I don't know." I whispered, and gently pushed him away not wanting him to touch me a second longer.

"I need to be alone for a little while." I stated, regaining some of my independent confidence. He nodded wordlessly retreating slowly back into the bathroom. Once I heard the shower running I retrieved the manila folder and pulled on my coat feeling the need to breathe some fresh crisp autumn air to clear my thoughts.

I ventured out towards Las Noches. I didn't know where things with Ichigo would take me but I knew that I couldn't live another day in apartment 173. As I strolled down the street leading to the stark white complex I admired the many cherry blossom trees planted along the walkway. There was even an antique book store with a coffee shop attached across the street. I was starting to fall in love with this little place before I'd even seen the inside of the building. I approached the door which opened automatically as I neared. I was taken back just by the lobby of the place. There was no way this place was going for the price listed. It was a fluke, too good to be true. It truly looked like a palace. White satin curtains flowing gently in the autumn breeze against white couches with tasteful red and orange pillows to match the current season.

"Hello there mam!" I heard a polite voice call from the front desk. I swiveled my head in her direction somewhat embarrassed at my gawking. The receptionist was a short woman with outrageously green hair that was bobbed. She held a bright cheery smile and added a pop of color to the all-white lobby.

"Hello…Mashiro-san." I read from her silver nametag.

"What can I help you with Ms…."

"Orihime Inoue" I filled in leaving out the Kurosaki purposely.

"Well Ms. Inoue what can I do for you on this fine evening?" she chirped. I laughed nervously, her bright aura making me somewhat uncomfortable.

"I'd like to look into renting an apartment." I replied. She nodded.

"Yes..yes…" she mumbled scanning through her computer, her eyes fixated intently on the pixels of the screen. She jolted upwards suddenly frightening me somewhat.

"Well you're in luck Ms. Inoue! We happen to have one room available for rent as of now!" Wow. One room huh? This place was definetly good if it was that booked up.

"Well, that's fantastic." I replied cheerily feeling somewhat uplifted that I would be able to come into this homely place.

"Would you like to see it first?" she asked smiling widely.

"Y-yes."

"Alright! Right this way!" I felt like I was playing follow the leader as we marched, literally up to the fourth floor.

"Here you are room 416!" Mashiro unlocked the door holding it open for me to enter. I bowed in thanks and walked slowly into the place. It. Was. Huge. The vast expanse looked barren currently but it had so much potential. I walked towards the two doors directly across from the kitchen out onto the beautiful terrace that joined with this dreamlike place. Surely this wasn't real.

"So I'm assuming the price is just about as impressive as this room huh?" I giggled still star struck. Mashiro giggled and assured me twice no three times that the price I had seen online was the correct amount. Maybe this was the universe's way of saying 'I'm sorry'.

"I'll take it!" I said smiling the kind of smile you make when you get your braces off for the first time or when you just got asked to prom.

After settling the payment plan and all the other arrangements that went along with renting an apartment I said my goodbyes to the green haired receptionist and agreed to be back there to move in tomorrow.

I still wasn't quite ready to go back to Ichigo yet though. So I decided to go ahead and purchase some of the things I would need for tomorrow. Just your basic necessities like dish rags and laundry detergent. As I stood in the long line of the supermarket awaiting my turn I was caught by surprise.

"What a pleasant surprise to see you again, Ms. Inoue."

I turned around to come face to face with none other than Ulquiorra Cifer. He looked so different from that lanky boy with glasses that sat in the back of class. He was taller now probably, no, definitely more built than before with broader shoulders, a deeper voice, and he'd ditched the glasses revealing his gorgeous emerald green orbs framed by raven colored hair that brushed the tips of his shirt collar teasingly. He was clad in leather loafer's, black suit pants, and a dark blue button down that was neatly tucked into his pants with his coat jacket slung over his shoulder.

"U-Ulquiorra-kun!" I stammered unsure of how to speak to this…**man** that I hadn't seen since Grimmjow and Nel's wedding.

"It has been quite a while hasn't it?" He smiled politely but his voice was still the same flat monotone it always was.

"It has! How have you been doing Ulquiorra-kun?" I smiled blushing slightly. He had me at a loss for words.

"I am currently working up to my PhD in neurological science at the moment. But aside from that I am now the number one brain surgeon in Japan." He replied bashfully.

"How about you? Are you and Kurosaki Ichigo enjoying the married life?" His question held a faint trace of spite that I didn't quite know if I'd heard right, or just flat out imagined. I sighed not sure what to say.

"M'am!" I heard the cashier call over my shoulder trying to get my attention. Mortified I rushed to get my groceries atop the sliding pulley. How embarrassing!

"You're total is 800 yen miss." I furiously scrambled the money together but not without of course, dropping a few coins in the process. I paid the cashier and turned to pick up my lost money when a pair of pale skilled hands joined me on the dirty tiled floor of the market.

"U-Ulquiorra-kun you don't have to do that!" He assured me that it was no bother and handed me the metallic spheres with a small smile.

"T-Thankyou." I replied gratuitously. He was so polite and polished. He'd really changed since those awkward days in high school. But in truth I'd always, secretly, thought Ulquiorra was kind of cute in a geeky, nerdy way. My advances to grab the heavy bags of appliances was also foiled by his chivalrous gentlemanly manners. Not even Ichigo did things like this when we went shopping together.

"Would you mind terribly if I accompanied you home Ms. Inoue? I can't stand back and allow a lady like yourself to carry all these things home in the dark alone." I nodded in awe. Who was this Ulquiorra? And where had he been all this time that I'd known him?

As we walked back towards 173 we began talking about what we'd done in the last few years trying to play a brief session of catch up. I strategically managed to dodge his questions centered towards Ichigo and me. The walk was too short because before we knew it we'd reached the third floor in the dainty little hallway of Karakura Apartment's.

"It was a pleasure seeing you again Ms. Inoue." He chided. I agreed, nodding my head and puffing out my cheeks. He made a move towards the other direction moving back towards the bustling streets.

"Ulquiorra!" I shouted. He paused in his stride and turned back towards me one eye locked onto mine.

"Let's get coffee or something soon, okay?" He nodded and respectfully took his leave. What a stud he'd turned into. I thought bustling into the room forgetting the tense atmosphere I'd left. I moved towards the large pile of dishes I'd left and began doing them cheerily, consumed in my own daydreams about the adventures tomorrow held that was until I felt a certain pair of familiar arms circled around me shoulders pulling me into the stiff chest of Ichigo. Oh right…how could forget…I was still living with an adulterous man whom I still harbored painful feelings for.

"I know this is hard right now." He whispered huskily. I could still smell the shampoo wafting from his wet hair.

"But…" He pulled me tighter towards him.

"I want to fix this…Orihime…I do…" I stayed still pretending I was a statue. Pretending that my heart wasn't racing at his words. Statues didn't have hearts. They were made of stones. Strong stones that could withstand uncertainty like this.

"I'm in love with **you**, Orihime." His words were pretty, they were exactly what I wanted to hear. But what I didn't expect was the pang in my chest. It felt as if my heart was fighting itself for control. Love Ichigo, leave Ichigo. It was like a little punch in the ribs saying just wait Orihime, don't give in yet.

Just wait.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Chapter 4 here we go! This one is a good bit shorter than the other three but it packs a punch. Enjoy!**

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**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any other copyrighted material.**

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Lie To Me Chpt.4

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"I know."

Renji's statement left me puzzled. I had just dropped the most devastating, earth-shaking bomb on him that **his wife** and **his stepbrother** were having an affair and he already knew?

Earlier that morning I had nearly vomited considering the several outcomes that could have arisen out of this single conversation, between a scorned wife and a clueless husband. I had warned Ichigo ahead of time, fearing for his safety in the wake of the wild red head on rampage that he would surely go on. I was expecting a table flipping, curse word throwing, back-handing tantrum and yet…he already knew?

"Well I can't tell you I was expecting that exactly." He rephrased upon seeing my gaunt mouth-hung-open expression.

"What do you mean?" I asked confused and at odds with the fact he was taking this all in such stride. No one takes something like this easy right? No normal sane person can just hear that their most beloved is being unfaithful and sit down still with a nonchalant grimace sipping on a cup of coffee. But then again Renji had never been particularly normal in the head.

He set down his coffee gently, his eyes taking a sudden interest in the floor. It was then that I noticed the Spaniards tired timeworn complexion. There were bags under his fiery eyes that I'd never seen before. His normal vibrant flaming red hair seemed to be dim, and his face looked thinner then I remembered. How hadn't I noticed sooner? I'd just spent the last 20 minutes scrapping together topics for small talk before I hit him hard and heavy and I was only seeing these severe changes just now?

It then occurred to me that Renji, like me was wearing a mask, and playing a part in our screwed up little Shakespearian tragedy.

"Me and Rukia…" he began tugging at every heartstring I had with enough force to break. He was lowering the mask to me, exposing his true face. He didn't have enough energy in him to flip a table or shout out curse words or back-hand an unaware pedestrian. He was defeated. The one and only Renji Abarai, utterly and completely defeated.

"We stopped fighting." I tilted my head still not understanding the deeper meaning here. He continued lowering his gaze further.

"I'd started noticing little things like how she'd started taking longer to get home every night. And she didn't want to sleep in the same bed anymore. It was like we began telling everybody two different versions of the same story and eventually everything just went numb. There was no more passion or fire between us. Just nothing. Kind of sucks, y'know?"

"Couples fight though don't they?" I interjected suddenly. The part of my heart that still fought for Ichigo's presence in my life began beating harder.

"I mean that doesn't mean it's all over right?" He lifted his gaze and met my fearful façade with one of the saddest smiles I had ever seen. It was that kind of heartbreaking moment that you experience three or four times in life.

"When we were fighting it was like the relationship was still going but when we stopped it was just over." He said roughly returning his glazed eyes to the floor.

"It's all over…" His voiced hoarsely as he announced not only to me but himself it seemed, what he felt inside.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner Orihime. I never thought Ichi-"he stopped suddenly his melancholy features morphing into alarm.

"Hime…"

I hadn't felt steady stream rushing down my face until a small droplet of salty liquid fell unto my hands that were tightly gripping my skirt. Oh…I'm crying…darn it…

"I'm so sorry, Renji I don't know what's come over me." I laughed trying to make the pain go away. Why did it hurt? Why did it hurt so much? I shook my head commanding my eyes to stop this pathetic downpour. I wiped at my face furiously smearing away the makeup I lathered on to hide behind. It wasn't stopping.

"Come on, Orihime." I felt a gentle touch on my shoulder leading me away from the many harsh judging stares of the people lining the café. They couldn't possibly understand what I was feeling now. But Renji did, afterall we shared the same pain. His heart was just as broken as mine.

Renji led me towards nearby park sitting me down on a vacant bench that creaked in protest from the sudden weight bearing down on it. We were surrounded by the beautiful array of orange and yellow hues of the leaves circulating in the air.

We sat there and he let me cry. He let me confess all my transgressions to him like a pope in a church. He offered no words of comfort or advice. He was just providing an outlet for me to channel and process all these feelings until I could calm myself enough to speak.

"Why haven't you left her?" I sniffled pitifully. Wondering if that spark of desire between them was really gone.

He frowned closing his eyes and letting out a long sigh.

"Because neither of us have worked up the nerve to say 'I want a divorce', yet."

Divorce. That was a scary word. I'd heard about it all my life but I'd never imagined that things with my marriage would do such a 360 that I'd be backed into a corner with limited options of escape. 50% of all marriages ended in divorce according to statistics. I guess I was part of that unlucky 50 that ended up with the short stick.

"Orihime," he turned towards me opening his fearless brown eyes.

"I'm not saying what you should or shouldn't do but a girl like you would be much better off without some prick who decided to shag his brother's wife." His words enlightened me in a way that I didn't expect. When he put it so bluntly out there it made no sense for me to continue on suffering for a man regardless of our history, he'd doubted me and that was unforgiveable.

"You're probably right." I mumbled slipping my hand over the rough surface of Renji's. I wanted him to know I was there. To feel like he wasn't alone in this either. That's what friends are for right?

"Just so you know I'm probably gonna kick that little carrot-top's ass next time I see him." I laughed slowly at first but the more I thought about his blatant threat I couldn't keep the giggles from escaping my lips. My laughing was contagious because the Spaniard began cackling until he was out of breath too. We left each other on that optimistic note, knowing we had each other to rely on if things became too tough to handle by ourselves.

I walked home with a newfound determination. I was going to leave him. Renji gave me that last push I'd needed to solidify my feelings. That feeling that I'd needed to wait for something had passed. It was like my heart was rejoicing in triumph and saying 'you don't need pricks who sleep with their brother's wife' and the tiny part that had been resisting had fallen silent. My love had hit its limits with Ichigo. I smiled feeling a surge of adrenaline running throughout my veins. My walk home turned into a run, which turned into a sprint until I slung open the door to room 173. I barged in panting wildly with what I'm sure was a crazed expression plastered across my features.

Ichigo stood before me bewildered at my barbaric entrance. But I couldn't wait any more.

"I'm leaving Ichigo. It's over." There. I'd finally said it, out loud.

Ichigo bowed his head slowly in shameful acceptance. I closed the door behind us shutting out the noise from the chattering people below. I watched him clench his fists in denial.

"I'm not giving up, Orihime." For the first time in my life Ichigo's words passed over me without any affect whatsoever.

I nodded acknowledging his will. But inside I was taunting him saying 'go ahead, try me.'

Awkwardly he demanded to help me pack as if he was trying to show he was a gentlemen that cared about his wife. I appreciated the help but felt no tug of the heart at his pointless effort. It was over. I was done giving anymore of myself to him. Things didn't have to have turned out this way. I wanted to say. You could have been curled up on this bed with me right now if you'd said no I thought as I watched Ichigo carry the last of my boxes containing my possessions down to the truck awaiting to take my precious things to Las Noches.

I sighed crossing my arms across my chest surveying the apartment one last time. It was kind of a shock to think about how much had changed within a two weeks span of time. I was by no means okay yet. I was still broken. I still had plenty of future late night tear fests and pounding headaches coupled with alcohol and chocolate ice-cream to deal with concerning this relationship, but I was starting to find my footing.

"Orihime." I turned hearing Ichigo's deep rasping voice. He shifted closer to me until he reached about two feet gap of distance.

"That was the last one." I nodded swiftly not wanting to say anything else and turned to leave when I felt a strong hand grip my wrist in desperation halting me.

"You don't have to do this." He whispered fervently. I could see the longing in his gaze and hear the begging in his words. I turned towards him prying his hand from my wrist gently and settling a hand on his chest feeling the constant rhythm of his heartbeat expedite as I placed my other hand softly against his cheek. I leaned up on my tiptoes closing my eyes and pressing a kiss to his warm lips one last time, draining the rest of my feelings into it. Letting them go just like I was letting him go.

"Goodbye, Ichigo." And with that I left him there standing in the wake of his own demise, alone without even Rukia to comfort him.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: How is everyone doing? :) I hope everyone is having a fantastic day! Here's chapter 5! Part of this will be in Ulquiorra's viewpoint and the rest in Orihime's. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any other copyrighted material.**

* * *

Lie To Me Chpt.5

* * *

"Crap, I'm late!" I yelled as I rushed towards the prestigious Aizen Center for Women and Children. My hair was a mess, my makeup only halfway done, and I'm pretty sure I forgot to wear socks inside my tanned leather boots. This interview was the most important thing in my life right now. It had taken the head chairman Sosuke Aizen himself, as well as the lesser members on his board, a whole week of consideration just to agree to allow me an interview. The chances of me actually receiving this seemingly lower level medical workplace job were slim to none.

I'd finally made through the front door when I saw the clock. 7:55 am. I had exactly five minutes to fix my appearance and get to the Chief of Surgery's office before I was late.

In the short two week period I'd began my new life as an independent woman I had grown extremely, if not unhealthily, attached to my new apartment. The smell that rose me from deep glorious slumber was the scent of freshly brewed coffee wafting in from the opposite side of the street. And on some mornings whoever owned the room above me would come out onto the balcony and play the violin. The melodious tune he/she played was simple yet ingenious. From what I could tell it was an unfinished piece being worked on little by little each day. The notes all rang together in a way that made me feel warmth deep down from the tips of my toes to the top of my head. It was lively, bubbly even but not too much so and there was also complexity in every key. If there was one person I wanted to meet in my time at Las Noches it was whoever the brilliant soul that lived above me was.

Sometimes I played a game with myself trying to decide what he/she looked like. Sometimes my imagination would run wild, drawing up a man with rainbow colored hair and bowstrings for fingers. I was nevertheless curious about the stranger who played the violin in the mornings.

Besides those incredible pluses, I realized after a day or two that there was no one in my spacious apartment except me, myself, and I. I could do whatever I wanted.

If I wanted to bake a lemon pie with leek frosting I could because Ichigo wasn't there to tell me I was being too childish for my own good.

If I wanted to lounge around in nothing but a skimpy tanktop and sweatpants whilst watching rom coms until I fell asleep on the couch, no one could stop me because there was no one there that I needed to impress.

I could be myself for once.

It had taken me until now to realize how taxing it was to try and be perfect for someone who was supposed to accept you no matter what you did or who you were.

I checked the clock hanging above the office entitled: Chief of Surgery and saw that I had one minute remaining. I fished through my leather handbag until I found a handheld mirror double checking my appearance making sure every hair was in its proper place, tucked neatly into a ponytail. I looked professional, polished, and terrified as I opened the large office door.

The man sitting at the head of the long ten-seater glass table before me looked much much different from what I expected the head of such a high-ranking medical center to be. He had bubblegum pink hair that fell to his shoulder and side swept bangs that flared right as well as two thin lines missing hair on the left side of his head. His amber eyes resembled that of a snake with the mischief and hidden motives glowing within them. His smile curved in such a way that made you feel uncomfortable. The only professional thing about him was the white rectangular framed glasses adorning the bridge of his nose.

"Well, well, well right on time Mrs. Orihime Inoue." He drew out my name in such a way that a shiver ran down the length of my spine. I nodded feeling a cold sweat start at the base of my forehead. I took a seat at the opposite head of the table closest to the door.

"Now, now Mrs. Inoue it won't do to have you all the way over there. Why don't you come closer?" I rigidly stood remembering to speak and be polite. C'mon get it together Orihime you've got to bring home the bacon!

"O-Oh I'm sorry." I managed and strode nervously towards this strange man. I eyed the name tag clipped to his white lab coat and read the name: Szayelaporro Granz while taking the seat closest to him on the right side.

"There, there that's better now, don't you think?" I nodded trying to force a smile.

"Now Mrs. Ino…can I call you Orihime?" He paused.

"Ah, yes." I replied louder than necessary. He smiled licking his lips returning his serpent like gaze to the very official looking papers before him.

"Orihime, what do you think you have to offer a place like this?" I cleared my throat and placed my hands in my lap running over my rehearsed answers that I'd prepared for questions just like this one.

"Well Mr. Granz-"

"Oh please call me Szayel." He interrupted knitting his hands together underneath his chin still wearing that same elongated smile.

"Well…Szayel..I believe that I have the capabilities and ambitions to succeed here and better the health of all the clients that come here."

"Ambitions? Do tell Orihime." He teased.

"Well I want to be able to help save the life of every person I come into contact with-"

"Oh now that just won't do." He interrupted me yet again. By this point I was beginning to get annoyed at his nonchalant attitude towards this interview.

"You see Orihime, people die every day, whether they received the best care available or not. This place harbors some of the most talented physicians, doctors and medical practitioners in the entire world yet all of them have had patients die on them. You see a girl like you who has high hopes in her heart and an optimistic outlook on life has very large possibility of being swallowed whole by the despair floating around this place and then being spit out and ripped apart by your own emotions like a pack of ferocious wolves on the hunt for a meal." I gulped at his analogy feeling my hands begin to shake. This conversation which at first was uncomfortable had turned into a dark metaphor that seemed to dim the entire room.

"But, I will say I do admire your enthusiasm." He added as if it was an afterthought. Oh great, I thought, that makes me feel so much better.

"Well, Orihime" He said returning to his creepy high pitched cooing.

"I think I've heard everything I need to hear from you." I nodded feeling hopeless as I got to my feet. I bowed forward.

"Thank you very much for this opportunity, Szayel-san." He nodded his smile turning into a smirk.

"Be awaiting a call either sometime today or tomorrow, Orihime." I nodded smiling even though inside I felt like I was going to suffocate from the pressure I'd just undergone. I walked outside the door and leaned against the wall letting out the breath I'd been holding and trying to make sense of what exactly just happened.

"Fancy meeting you here, Ms. Inoue." I opened my eyes recognizing that familiar steady monotone voice.

"U-Ulquiorra-kun!" I gasped straightening my posture and placing my hands together in front of me. He was wearing navy blue scrubs with little white covers over his shoes. I guess all doctors had to wear those. Or maybe Ulquiorra was still a germaphobe.

"Did you have some sort of business with Mr. Granz?" he asked pretending he didn't just totally notice me gasping for air slumped against the wall of the hospital.

"Well actually I had an interview." I said unconfidently as I twisted a strand of my hair around my index finger that had fallen loose from the ponytail.

"Oh?" He questioned, intrigued.

"I don't really think it went to well actually." I laughed still feeling like there were ants crawling along my skin from the eerie mood Szayel left me in.

"Is that so? Care to elaborate over dinner tonight?" I was a little taken aback by his sudden invitation feeling a sudden rush of heat flood my cheeks.

"T-Tonight?" I stammered, too flattered to speak. Was he just asking me to dinner as a friend? Or did he expect it was going to be more like a date? I mentally slapped myself. Idiot he doesn't know anything about Ichigo. That was unless Grimmjow told him.

"Yes, tonight at seven." He confirmed pulling me from my anxious thoughts.

"Y-yes I would love to!" He replaced the tight line of his lips with a small smile that would've been hard to pick up if you didn't know Ulquiorra and his stoic mannerisms.

"Would you mind meeting me back here then? I know that is quite the favor to ask of you."

I shook my head furiously "No, no that is perfectly alright Ulquiorra-kun." I reassured.

"Well Ms. Inoue I'll meet you here then, at seven."

"Yes!" I smiled brightly looking forward to seeing him in just a few hours' time.

"Oh and Ms. Inoue." I heard him call out as stopping my recession to the heaven that was my apartment.

"I will be sure to put in a good word with Mr. Granz." I laughed thanking him again waving goodbye.

When I reached my apartment at long last I ran towards my closet.

"Oh what do I wear?!" I shouted flustered. I tore through hanger after hanger until my eyes landed on a floral patterned button down dress. I smiled yanking it from the rack and laying it across my bed. I rummaged through my dresser pulling out a pair of seamless tights and throwing those on the bed too. Lastly I found a warm chunky knit green cardigan that played into the color scheme of the dress perfectly and suited the chilly autumn air.

"What are you doing Orihime, get a shower!" I shouted at myself realizing I'd been standing there like an airhead admiring my well thought out outfit.

I pulled my blouse over my head and shimmied out of the tight pencil skirt that I had felt was suffocating me and turned on the shower. I waited impatiently beginning to get chilled. Finally the water began to turn warm and I welcomed its heat as it ran over my skin. I sighed enjoying the refreshing feeling of the liquid as it soothed my nerves. That interview really didn't go as I had planned. And that Szayel guy was a weirdo.

Then I remembered something that Ulquiorra had said to me a few weeks prior.

"_I am now the number one brain surgeon in Japan."_

Maybe, just maybe, if he put in a good word like he promised being the best neurosurgeon in the country I had a chance of scoring this job.

I smiled rerunning over my previous conversation with him in my head. He had really changed hadn't he? I remembered a time when he wore glasses that hid those gorgeous green eyes of his. He never spoke too loud or dressed too brightly. He always seemed like he was sad with that lost puppy kind of look on his face. But now he was just so…charming. He reminded me of a prince with his chivalrous actions and eloquent way with words. I was curious as to why girls didn't flock to him. He was an incredibly successful doctor, easy on the eyes, and kind. The whole package and yet he was still single. How strange.

I poured a palm size amount of pink strawberry scented shampoo and rubbed it into my long auburn colored waves, working my way down slowly. My hair probably reached just above my rear now. Once the shampoo was rinsed out I moved to the conditioner enjoying the slick feeling it left on my fingers as I entangled the substance with my hair. I thought about Ichigo. I wondered how he was doing and how he was coping with my absence. I wondered, did he miss me? Did he want me back, at all? Or was he currently with Rukia cuddling on our couch and whispering sweet nothings into her ear like he used to whisper into mine. I sighed turning off the water and stepping out of the steamy atmosphere within my tiled bathroom, scrunching my long wet strands of hair with a fluffy pink towel.

I slapped my hands against my cheeks looking into the mirror.

"Stop it, Orihime." I commanded frowning at myself.

I preceded to get dressed applying some mascara and walked out of my safe haven into the busy color filled streets of Karakura. It was a good bit colder than I had expected and I was cursing myself for forgetting my jacket in the apartment. I felt small goosebumps raise on my arms the little hairs standing erect as a cold breeze passed over me whipping my hair behind me as I neared the Hospital.

* * *

Ulquiorra Schiffer was late. He had been struggling to quickly pass through his list of patients yet still make them feel as though he truly cared deeply for their problems and concerns. Had he not been such a good liar, he would've lost his ability to make income years ago. While he did find the intricate complexities of their brains that were like a riddle that needed to be solved fascinating he would rather be on rectal exam duty than listen to them ramble on about how sad and miserable their lives were. In some instances they went as far as to say their live were over, ruined, and useless all because of a simple problem in their heads that could be solved with a slice of a scalpel. They knew nothing of true sadness and misery. Despair was something only the hopeless understood. He had become quite good friends with despair over the course of his life. His parents had abandoned him on the doorstep of an orphanage where he had been malnourished, bullied and even forgotten all until he had reached the age of six when he met Ayaka Atsushi. The woman had taken him in, fed him, clothed him, loved him even. She put him into the school system arming him with a brilliant education that had carried him to where he was now. Yet despite all her gifts and kindness and love he had despised her.

He found her uncanny belief in silly things like hope and redemption comical. How could she believe in such things when she herself hadn't been given the short stick in life as he had?

He had continued on hating her for her hair-brained mannerisms and optimistic beliefs until he turned 12. For the first time in his life he saw what they call rare beauty.

He had returned home one day to find his new mother in tears playing a device he didn't quite recognize. That's when he noticed the scars. The little horizontal scars each covering a span on an inch or two from the base of her wrist to the crook of her arm. He realized in that moment that she was not as fortunate as he had once believed her to be. She too had experienced ground breaking hardships. When he asked her about the scars she smiled placing a hand to his cheek and telling him that they were reminders that life is not all bad.

"_As long as there is someone who brings color into your life and brightens the world around you, there is hope."_

He hadn't quite understood what she meant by those words until 3 years later in his first year of high school.

The bullying hadn't stopped when he left the orphanage, if anything it had become worse. The strong always inevitably took advantage of the weak. Years of lost nourishment had left him smaller and thinner than the others boys, his glasses only further worsened the problem making him an easy target.

"_What's wrong four eyes? Can't you stand?"_

"_You're so weak you should just die!"_

"_Oh sorry, I didn't see you behind that piece of grass."_

These word had been said to him all his life so they brushed past him but they certainly hadn't boosted his self confidence in the slightest. He would always lie down and take the flurries of fists and kicks to the ribs without complaint, and then dust himself off pick up his glasses and continue on dredging through life until one day…

"_Stop!"_

The brutes cornering him, throwing stones at his body, bruising his pale flesh halted and turned to the small feminine voice.

"_Just because he's different doesn't mean you can stomp all over him like he's nothing!"_

In that moment he saw the color of auburn flowing in magnificent waves before him and he understood what it meant to have hope.

This girl who had drawn away the bullies and brought them on herself had come into his life so suddenly and without warning that he found himself running to keep up with her. The vision of her honest features screaming bravery in the most amazing of expressions haunted him. He wanted to see it again. That awesome expression. He craved it.

From then on he noticed her first before anyone else in a crowd. That beautiful long red hair of hers pulling him in.

It had been a year or so before he actually began getting to know her. She fascinated him. She exuded this quiet, gentle strength that he envied. He began to realize that he was drawn to that quality of silent strength in others as well. From then on she brought more and more colors into his life, blue, red, green, orange, yellow, and even purple. But even in all of those vivid people he still believed she shined the brightest.

She was unstoppable. Not because she did not have failures or doubts, but because she continued on despite them.

So even though he was rushing towards the door of the hospital, fifteen minutes late with a sea of people in between them he could see her, clearly. He continued to move in her direction amused at the sight of her bright smile adorned by rosy cheeks as she foolishly turned in a circle enjoying the vivacious winds billowing from the distance.

He finally reached her when she turned towards him noticing his presence and lighting up upon seeing his face calling out to him:

"Ulquiorra!"


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: This is a continuation of where we left off last chapter! Some in Ulquiorra's view, some in Orihime's some in Ichigo's! It's gonna be a fun! Happy Saturday and as always enjoy!**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any other copyrighted material.**

* * *

Lie To Me Chpt.6

* * *

"Ulquiorra!" I called out in glee as he walked quickly towards my direction his face holding no emotion yet he appeared deep in thought.

"Good evening, Ms. Inoue." He greeted me perfectly pleasant as always.

"Where will be heading to tonight? I can't wait to eat I'm starving!" I blabbered on as we walked out from underneath the somewhat sheltering canopy of the hospital into the harsh nipping wind. As soon as the cold air reached me my mouth froze just as my body had. Yeah, I definitely was missing that jacket now.

"Is everything alright, Ms. Inoue?" Crap! He'd noticed my shivering. Nothing slipped past this guy he was able to see everything with those eyes of his, quite literally.

"I-I'm f-f-f-fine!" I stammered out as my teeth automatically chattered up and down in an attempt to save heat.

"Here." He mumbled whilst shrugging off his own heavy black winter jacket.

"N-No, honestly I-I'm fine Ulqui…" My voice trailed away as he drew unexpectedly close to me his hands encircling me as he pulled his heavy coat over my shoulders staring into my eyes as he did so. His scent was different from what I expected. He smelled like shampoo and just a little bit like latex gloves. The cold tremors throughout my body stopped as a shot of heat ran throughout me. Why was he looking at me like that?

"T-Thank you."

He quickly pulled away from me and we continued towards what Ulquiorra told me was one of the most praised diners in town. La Pantera. He said that Grimmjow was particularly fond of their food and often met him there on occasions that he didn't have to work.

We at long last arrived at the restaurant while my stomach let out its first groan of protest. The restaurant despite its Spanish title was mainly composed of French cuisine. It was small, black, and simple with blue lights illuminating the area in small glowing lanterns.

"One table please." Ulquiorra inquired of the server. I watched amused as the curvaceous waitress blushed upon taking in her customer's appearance. She was completely made up with bleached blonde hair and a spray on tan that rivaled the color of Ichigo's hair. Her plumps lips were coated in a bright red lipstick and her eyes were so encrusted with eyeshadow you could hardly see them.

"Right this way." she smiled batting her lashes at the clueless Ulquiorra, her voice deep and scratchy like that of a smoker. We were shown to a table more isolated from the rest of the people dressed in cocktail gowns and suits. Yeah this wasn't going to be cheap.

"Here you are Ms. Inoue." Ulquiorra said as he pulled a cushioned chair from underneath the table his hands resting along the back. I blushed feeling like I was a true princess as Grimmjow liked to refer to me as. He slid me back into place with my feet beneath the smooth chromic surface of the black table. He then took his seat directly across from me. I was still completely unable to make sense of how different he was. I wondered what had changed him.

"Ms. Inoue." Ulquiorra suddenly and very seriously inquired. Folding his menu and placing it gently on the surface of the table.

"What's up?" I asked cheerfully.

"I do not mean to pry…but where is Kurosaki Ichigo?" The smile on my face immediately fell into a disappointed frown as I shifted my gaze to the happy couple across the way from us. Giggling and playfully batting at each other. So Grimmjow really hadn't told him after all.

"Oh well…" I considered lying to him for a moment but knew he would call my bluff even if he wouldn't say anything.

"You see Ulquiorra me and Ichigo…we're splitting up."

* * *

Sitting across from Orihime Inoue and listening to her recount the horror stories of the previous weeks before sat Ulquiorra who could hardly contain himself in his boiling anger. The idiot had taken advantage of his wife's oblivious nature and used it to satisfy his twisted needs from none other than the woman that belonged to his stepbrother.

"I see." He said curtly. Trying not to reveal the deep extent of his emotional distress over the situation. He gripped the surface of the table so hard he thought it might crumble before him.

"Ulquiorra-kun is everything alright?" she tilted her in concern staring at him with scrunched brows.

"You'll have to forgive me Ms. Inoue but I simply cannot understand." No he really couldn't. He could not fathom desiring another woman with this one at his side nor would he ever consider giving in to foolish human weakness.

"If looks could kill Ulquiorra that cup would be dead!" He briefly forgot his anger in pondering her bizarre statement. She also had a habit of saying whatever she was thinking. Had she really evoked such a strong expression out of him that it was showing on his face?

"Anyway," her face took a more melancholic look and she fiddled with the hem of her floral dress avoiding his gaze.

"Would you mind if we talked about something else? I really hate thinking about this when I'm with such a good friend at a fancy restaurant." Ah, he was pulling her into the depression which she had a habit of concealing. Ever since he'd met her, he saw that she took to crying alone and suffering the like. It was an unusual habit truly for someone with so many friends and people that cared for her.

"If that is what you would like." He paused mulling over what to ask her.

"So why don't you tell me how that interview went? Mr. Granz seemed very enthusiastic after I spoke with him." The woman slammed her fists against the table excitedly.

"You talked with him? Oh what did he say? Did he hate me? It seemed like he hated me. I mean at first it was really weird because he kept oogling me and asking me off topic questions. And then he would interrupt me during the real ones and question about even more bizarre things like my ambitions and then he said that I would be ripped apart by a pack of wolves-"Her rambling was cut short by the shrill ring of a cellphone.

_RRrrrrrrinnnnggggggg!_

"U-Ulquiorra it's the hospital." She looked pale as she simply stared at the smooth pink device in her hands.

_RRrrrriinnnnngggggggg!_

"H-Hello?" She stammered as an overly excited male voice spoke from the other side.

"T-Thank you very much I appreciate the opportunity." She closed the device and resumed staring at it. He apprehensively noticed fresh tears gathering along her lash line as she slowly looked up to him her lip quivering.

"I-I got the job." He did his best to comfort the blubbering woman, not understanding why she was crying so vehemently since she had gotten the job. But he found it endearing nonetheless.

Once they'd received their meals and Orihime had sufficiently covered her entire dish in mustard, shocking the waitress, he'd learned that she had been polishing her skills as a nurse in the last few years as well as that she had been able to sit in on a case in the jury of a very dangerous serial killer. She told him every detail in extreme severity like it was the last thing he was going to hear. Consequently once she was done he relayed to her the brief history of what he'd done in his time since they'd last met. She was particularly fond of the strangest occurrences that turned up in his O.R. He recalled one in particular in which a man had been out drinking with his associates and so-called friends and accidently tripped and landed headfirst into a steak knife which was protruding from the center of his forehead and had managed to pass straight through the skull into the space where each hemisphere of the brain met. Effectively keeping him from suffering death with his lucky one and million injury. He felt comfortable speaking to her about his odd tasks that others considered strange and or nerd like. She seemed so genuinely interested he offered to show her some of the x-ray prints he had stolen secretly from the hospital and kept stashed in his room.

"That's incredible Ulquiorra I never thought that working in a hospital could be so cool!" She chirped slapping her cheeks with her palms.

"I wonder if I'll run into any strange things when I start next week." She sighed and took another small bite of her baguette dipped in mustard sauce.

"Do you think I'll be a good nurse Ulquiorra?" He didn't have to think before he answered.

"Most definitely." She looked at with curious silver eyes shining in the luminescent blue atmosphere."

"Really?" He suddenly found interest in the nearby fountain unable to continue looking in the eyes of the woman.

"You have the natural tendency of looking after others before yourself." It was a simple and true fact, so why did it seem so hard to say that sentence aloud?

She smiled appeased at his blunt honesty.

"You're so sweet Ulquiorra-kun!" he faked a cough in an attempt to hide the flush within his cheeks. He was going to have watch himself around this woman.

* * *

As we both finished dinner Ulquiorra graciously paid for the whole thing after I had insisted to pay at least half but he wouldn't hear of it. Insisting that a lady like me shouldn't be burdened with it since he was the one to suggest dinner in the first place. Even though I felt guilty I couldn't say I wasn't relieved. He had preceded then to walk me home leaving me with butterflies since I was so unused to this kind of…oh what was the word? Gentlemanliness? Yeah, gentlemanliness if that was even a thing.

"Here we are!" I said relishing in the smell from the sinfully delicious bakery. Only a few shops down.

"How odd." I turned back to Ulquiorra he had a perplexed expression on his face as he stared at the Las Noches complex.

"What's wrong?" I asked shivering and pulling his jacket around me a little tighter.

"Nothing is wrong, however I find it strange that we would both end up living in the same apartment building."

"W-What?" I stammered nervously. Ulquiorra lived here too? I wondered why that knowledge made me just as comforted as it did anxious.

He let out a small chuckle leaving me staring he really didn't laugh very often so when he did it was like the world stopped spinning.

"What a coincidence." He muttered escorting me inside and all the way up to the fourth floor where it was much warmer.

We stopped at the door as I unlocked it revealing a sliver of the mess that was my apartment. I tried to quickly unbutton Ulquiorra's jacket but he held up a hand to stop my attempt.

"It is alright you may keep that Ms. Inoue." I waved my hands in an X motion frantically.

"Oh no I couldn't Ulquiorra really!" He shook his head stepping away from the door marked with a silver 416 and bowed.

"Thank you for accompanying me this evening." I blushed reciprocating his gesture.

"Thank you so much for everything tonight and…" I clasped my hands tighter together as I looked at him, shyly in the eyes.

* * *

"Thank you for talking to Szayel-san as well as being a good friend about Ichigo, I'm really happy that we'll be working together now!" She ended positively with a rosy tint still coloring her cheeks. Ulquiorra nodded taking his turn to be shy.

"Good night, _Orihime._" He swiftly walked away feeling the urge to run as he left the woman giggling to herself as she shut the door. Honestly what was he going to do about her?

* * *

27 days, 18 hours, 5 minutes, and 46 seconds. That's how long it had been since Ichigo Kurosaki who now leaned over the wooden surface of the bar called Tiburon had last seen Orihime.

"Another round?" Questioned Shuuhei Asagi who was filling in for Harribel.

"Yeah." He replied feeling the effects of his fifth bottle of alcohol. He downed the brownish-yellow liquid along with his reason and his thoughts lingering on his affair which had gotten him into this predicament.

He and Rukia were not star-crossed lovers who had married the wrong people. They were simply two people who had been missing something and tried to fill that void with cheap easy sex. Sex, alcohol, money. All were quick fixes for the growing hole inside of him.

That night when it had started had been particularly bad. It was his mother's birthday. A day which always came too soon and left him feeling her loss as if it had happened all over again. He was vulnerable.

Rukia was there and Orihime wasn't. Rukia was the one begging him not the other way around. Rukia was the one who understood his pains and his needs in that moment not Orihime. But that didn't mean he loved the little black-haired deviant. No, not in the slightest. But she was there and he was weak.

He'd never meant to hurt Orihime. He'd never meant to damage his relationship and covenant with her by sleeping with another woman. He didn't love her. He didn't want her. He didn't need her. No he loved, and wanted, and needed Orihime.

He took another drink remembering her last lingering kiss. Surely all of those intimate feelings between them hadn't been lost? Surely he would be able to win her back. Surely. He **needed** to. He hadn't spoken to her in so long that he felt like drowning himself in a bath of alcohol.

He sighed and rose wobbly from his barstool, the depressant quickly working its way through his bloodstream.

"I'll see ya." He called stumbling out of the bar towards his home.

Orihime. He thought his eyes beginning to become heavy. His vision was beginning to wane as he caught a sight of a flowing auburn mane. He squinted realizing the retreating form of **his **wife with another slightly taller black-haired male. Was that Ulquiorra? What were they doing together? He thought angrily as they disappeared from sight.

It looks like he was going to be paying a visit to his old acquaintance in the near future.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: ****PLEASE NOTE ****that I have gone back and edited/fixed the grammatical errors in all previous chapters (sorry about that). Also I love seeing you guys' reviews it warms the heart and feeds my inspiration. :) I also want to address that Ichigo is not the bad guy here. He is a man that has many many issues and his wife has just left him so he's a bit raw. Anyways that aside click that review button and tell me what you think! Enjoy!**

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**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any other copyrighted material.**

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Lie To Me Chpt.7

* * *

Ulquiorra Schiffer felt uneasy. The feeling wasn't something he experienced often, no, he was too prepared for any crisis that may come his way to feel as such. But this was different. There was no case that had him up all night thinking a way to solve its problem, there was no issues in the structure of his apartment, and between him and the woman nothing had changed. This was one of those instances when someone knows that something terrible is about to happen. He wasn't one for superstition either yet there had been undeniable omens. He had dropped his ritual morning toast jelly-side down. His elbow had accidently knocked over a salt shaker, spilling its contents onto his floor. Even when he'd taken care not step on the cracks of the sidewalk while walking with Orihime to the hospital a black cat had crossed his path.

He wasn't sure what to expect but he would definitely have his guard up. He shook his head in disdain, he was acting foolish giving into such ridiculous beliefs of bad luck.

"Um Ulquiorra-kun?"

"Yes, Ms. Inoue." He knew that she hated his formalities but he was nervous and didn't have the time to be distracted from his surveillance of his surroundings by the pouting woman.

"What's wrong with you? It looks like you're expecting the sky to fall!"

"How do you know that it won't?" came his swift sarcastic retort.

She _hmphed! _and they resumed their walk in silence.

As they approached their workplace Ulquiorra took care to open the door for his bubbly red-headed companion, as he did every morning that they needed to be at work at the same time. Of course since all of his co-workers also saw this routine occurrence of him and the woman entering together there were also flying rumors going about.

As he passed throughout the hallways of the bustling hospital he heard nurses engaging in their ritual gossip.

"_Have you noticed what a good mood Ulquiorra-senpai has been in lately?"_

"_I heard that the new nurse is in one of those relationships with him."_

"_I bet she thinks she can rise through the chain in this hospital because she's sleeping with her boss."_

The rumors annoyed him, not because they were untrue, but because they insulted the integrity of the woman. None of these arrogant fools knew her. Knew him. Or knew what he and she did in their off-time.

"I have come to retrieve today's charts." He said curtly to the group of senior nurses engaging in secret telling before him. Effectively startling them out of their wits and passing him a bundle of gray binders silently. He took the armful of charts and found a quiet sparsely populated room and laid the folders across the empty table in a circular fashion. He picked up the first chart briefing himself over the details.

13 year old female. Lilynette Gingerback. Unexplainable headaches and mood swings. Drop in grades. Seen 13 different doctors who all prescribed mild aspirin.

He checked the blood tests expecting to find traces of narcotics but was surprised to find they were perfectly clean.

"How intriguing." He said absent-mindedly speaking aloud.

He closed the chart abruptly and held in in between his arm and his side walking towards the patient's room.

He walked in quietly as the teen and what he guessed was he father were finishing an argument.

"Hello, Dr. Schiffer." The man said interrupting his oblivious daughter.

"Good morning. You are Lilynette's father I would presume?" He shook his head and the blond girl howled in laughter. Rearing her feet up in exaggeration.

"You think this idiot is my father? AHhahaha! That's too much dude." The girl had short choppy blonde hair that was slightly tinted green. Her eyes were an exotic lavender hue and she was extremely thin almost unhealthily so.

"This little annoyance is my half-sister." The man said turning his one blue eye onto Ulquiorra.

He was clad in a black t-shirt and blazer with wavy brown hair that was long and a white eyepatch hid his left eye.

"Coyote Starrk." He said offering his hand. Ulquiorra shook it reluctantly and turned towards the girl again.

"How are you feeling today Lilynette?"

"I feel like shit, what do you think?" He twitched his eyebrow in irritation. This girl's insolence is something he did not want to be forced to tolerate. Maybe he would have an 'accidental' slip of the wrist while he was doing a routine checkup and poke her in the eye.

"Your blood tests revealed no presence of drugs or any other unidentifiable substance. Therefore to investigate further I have an MRI scheduled for this afternoon." He said with slight irritation giving way in his tone.

"What does this mean?" Starrk interjected.

"It means I will do everything in my power to find the source of this nuisance inside of your skull, Lilynette." The girl sighed and slumped back into her pillow.

"Try all you want but it'll be just the same as before. No one knows what's wrong with me." The defeated look on her face gave him all the more motivation to find out what the source of her enigma was, not because he held any sort of sympathies per say for the child; but because he enjoyed the challenge.

He took his leave from the room leaving the half-siblings to bicker alone. He moved to his next patient who was an old man with dementia when he suddenly ran into the sight of Orihime bumping into one of the many male orderlies that were in the premises.

"Oh my goodness! I'm so sorry about that I never watch where I'm going!" She apologized enthusiastically while the obviously flustered male assured her everything was alright and slid his hand along her slender arm in an attempt to help her up. Why was he still touching her? Didn't she notice his blatant attempts to flirt with her?

* * *

"Ms. Inoue." I heard Ulquiorra call calmly from my right as he moved towards me and the orderly I'd just embarrassingly run into whilst thinking about chocolate strawberry muffins.

"Ulquiorra-kun!" I greeted him back with a wide set smile. Since bumping into him that day in the convenience store when I was first starting this crazy spontaneous journey he'd been running into him everywhere. I wondered how much of this was coincidence but whether it was the doing of the Fates or simple chance I was glad.

Ulquiorra was like a solid rock in the midst of a storm. Something I could cling to and search out for stability, unfaltering in dependability.

"How has your morning been fairing?" he asked as I rambled on about all the things I had managed to screw up in an attempt to learn today not understanding why the kind blond-haired orderly had run away looking like he was going to pee himself.

I had learned quite a few things about Ulquiorra from the various gossip flying around the rooms I came and went through. The nurses called him '**Sulk**iorra" which I found so hilarious I repeatedly had to bite my lip while talking with him to keep from bursting into laughter. He did have this kicked puppy look that just made you want to give him a hug though. Poor Ulquiorra.

I also found out that he'd never had a girlfriend that any of the staff had seen or heard of. Which only added to the hushed scandal that a few people believed that he was gay.

"Hahaha!" Whoops there went my hold on the laugh I'd been successfully containing.

"What is so humorous Ms. Inoue?"

"N-Nothing!" I quickly found a very interesting wall to look at clamping down on my tongue to prevent any further giggling.

After Ulquiorra had excused himself from our midmorning chat and went back to tending clients I was relieved. I had become pretty adept to reading his moods because of our daily-basis interaction and he seemed very apprehensive this morning. He was looking around every corner as if expecting an enemy to come flying out of a nowhere and tackle him to the ground. Even though I could read his moods I couldn't seem to make out his thoughts yet. He had a lot of walls up. I could tell.

After all I'd been the exact same way after Sora's death. I could see it in his eyes. That faint trace of misery lurking behind steeled barriers. I wanted to break down those barriers oddly enough but I couldn't think about that now when I felt so confused. I needed to sort out my own life before worrying about another's. I looked down to my right hand tracing the smooth skin up to my ring finger. I turned it slightly, admiring the glimmering diamond set into the golden ring adorning my hand. I sighed clasping my hands together. I was really a mess. Why was I still fighting with the thought that Ichigo was not in my life anymore? What was it that hurt when I thought about filing for divorce? I had every reason and right so why was this so exhaustingly difficult?

"Help! Help!" I heard a male voice call out from my peripheral view. As I turned he came storming towards me his one eye crazed in worry.

"Ma'am are you a nurse?" he asked frantically.

"Y-Yes I am-"He pulled my arm towards his hospital room not stopping even if I gave resistance.

"Come with me." His concerned tone perturbed me. Causing my nerves to go out of spiral as we walked into his room.

There was no blood. No convulsing bodies. Not even pee on the floor. Just a casual rebellious teenager rocking out to some tunes whilst flipping through a magazine.

"Lilynette!" The teen looked up from her magazine that had whatever the current top model in Japan was on the cover annoyed. She slid off her headphones and puffed out her chest.

"What'dya want Starrk?" He turned to me confused.

"Something's not right her speech a minute ago…"

"I want apples and fries with that while we get the blue pancake you bus trip!" A wave of anxiety ran through me as I walked over towards her immediately pressing the red button to call for a doctor.

"Do you know what you just said?" I asked in a low tone.

"No I, I tried to say that I wanted to go home." I felt the skin of her forehead. The heat radiating off it was far from normal in fact she should've been near to death from what the thermometer was reading." I gently pulled away the magazine from her bluish fingers setting on the side table and took note of the subtle dilation of her pupils, something was wrong.

"It's Lilynette-chan right? Will you lie down for me?" The blond became confused and possibly a bit scared and slapped my hands away from hers standing up.

"No I'm going ho-" Her sentence stopped as her body went rigid, her lavender eyes rolling into the back of her head until only the whites showed and she collapsed on the ground with a solid _thud._ Her blue hospital gown matching the color of the tile making her look like a display of detached arms and limbs.

"Help!" I called out. And ran to press the 9-1-1 button on the bedside. Immediately another senior nurse took note of the situation rushing into the room kneeling beside the girl. She told me to roll her over onto her back and that when the convulsions started.

"What's going on?!" I heard the male call behind us.

"What's happening to her?!" Lilynette's jaw was taught and her body was flailing around like a fish out of water. I knew from my time at the clinic that she was having some sort of issues with pressure in the brain.

"What's going on? What happened?" I heard a familiar voice ask as he too knelt beside us. He had blood on his dark scrubs and a surgical cap tied around his head pulling back the front of his hair and leaving a few falling out the back, giving him a true surgical look. I realized they were both looking at me and gave them a brief summary of the last two minutes.

"S-She was fine and then she started to talk nonsense and she collapsed." Ulquiorra lifted her upper lid examining her pupil which had rolled back into place with a flashlight.

"Her pupil is blown and the brain is starting to herniate." He pocketed the flashlight unhooking his stethoscope to listen to her racing heart.

"Her spinal fluid is backing up and putting pressure on the brain. We need to move her onto a bed right now."

"W-What?" I heard the man ask behind me. Ulquiorra looked to him briefly before turning to me his eyes dark.

"Get him out of here." He tone was so serious and absolute that it gave me chills. I nodded obediently turning to the man tugging on his sleeve as he fought against my action.

"What? No! I will stay with her I will…" His resistance diminished as the heart monitor began beeping at an abnormally fast rate. I pulled him out of the room, escorting him to the waiting room and reassuring him I'd return as soon as I could with an update. I hurried in a jog back to the room and stood in the doorway observing. Lilynette was now situated atop her bed with the head of it laid flat while she continued convulsing.

"Orihime come here." I did as told not noticing he'd acknowledged my presence.

"I need you to hold her still. Can you do that?" I hadn't registered the question, to overcome by shock to function. I felt like ice cold water had been dumped over me freezing me in place, shaking.

"Orihime." Came his softer voice. I looked to him scared to death.

"You can do this." I slowly came back to my senses regaining use of my hands and held the thrashing girl down. Just then the senior nurse who had helped earlier came back onto the scene holding several things in her arms.

Ulquiorra took one of the tongue depressors and pulled back the upper eyelid of Lilynette. He then took a large syringe with one of the largest needles I've ever seen and plunged it underneath her eyeball and slowly sucked what looked like clear fluid out. After his barbaric action the monitor returned to normal and Lilynette stopped convulsing and her breathing slowed. Color began returning to her cheeks as well. I breathed a sigh of relief still not fully out of disbelief at what had just played out in front of me.

"Oh thank God." I breathed, panting heavily as if I'd just run a marathon.

"Are you alright Ms. Inoue?" I nodded stepping away from the bed. Then I remembered my promise.

"Oh crap the update!" I rushed out of the room Ulquiorra in tow behind me.

"Sir! Sir…" I trailed off as my gray eyes met with a familiar set of brown.

* * *

Ulquiorra watched the woman stop in her cries for Starrk and turn her head in another direction, standing stiffly with that same pale look on her face as she'd had a few moments before. He walked over to her ready to pull her out of the clouds again when he saw exactly what she was staring at. His eyes sized up the orange-haired male before him.

"Ulquiorra." He growled lacing every syllable with menace as his jaw clenched in what he would assume was anger.

"Trash." He returned not withholding any of his own disapproval.

"What did you call me?" The carrot-top asked his fists clenching in response.

"You heard me, trash." Ichigo took a step towards Ulquiorra glaring down at him from above in an attempt to intimidate the later. He briefly looked towards the woman and then back to him.

"What are you doing going around with my wife, Ulquiorra." He sneered.

"What you could not." Ulquiorra smirked his eyes locking onto Ichigo's.

"Taking care of her." With that statement Ichigo took a step back, his aggressive action signaling to Ulquiorra to brace himself. He recalled his time with the carrot-top in high school thinking of his days in gym class. If he remembered correctly the trash was right-handed so all he need do, if his prediction was correct, was watch closely to dodge the oncoming fist. Like clockwork Ichigo swung using his right enabling Ulquiorra to evasively duck and rear his own fist into his oppressor's jaw knocking him into the nearby wall and slumping to the floor.

Just as Ichigo regained his awareness it was too late. Ulquiorra was upon him in seconds tackling him onto the floor and pinning his right arm behind his back using his own weight to hold his opponent down against the filthy tile of the hospital floor.

"Is this really where you want to do this? In front of her?" Ulquiorra asked him struggling to maintain his hold on the man. Ichigo's gaze shot to his wife standing there petrified by him covering her mouth with her hands in terror. Because of **him**.

"Let go of me you damn freak!" Ichigo gripped the sleeve of Ulquiorra's scrub using his left hand and casting him off against the same wall he'd been knocked into.

"Ulquiorra!" Orihime called out fearfully tears streaming down her pale skin.

He maintained his level-head remembering for whose sake he was fighting for and dodged a second attempt moving forward under the outstretched arms of Ichigo.

He pulled back his own fist struck Ichigo in the chin forcing his head upwards and effectively knocking him out.

* * *

When Ichigo awoke not remembering when he'd lost consciousness he had a terrible headache and for some odd reason his jaw felt sore. Then he remembered sitting up whilst groaning and feeling the sensitive area on his jaw that he'd come to the hospital in search of Ulquiorra planning to find out his reason for lurking around his wife and advise him not to.

"Oh, you're awake." A gentle familiar voice stated near him. He whipped his head in its direction taking in her appearance. She was wearing light blue scrubs with bunnies on the and her hair was pulled back into a messy up do with her favorite blue flower hairpins she'd received from Sora before he died.

"Inoue." She chuckled yet her silver orbs still held nothing but sadness within them.

"It's been a long time since I've heard you call me that." She explained fiddling with something in her hands.

"Yeah…listen Orihime-"

"Why did you come here Ichigo?" Her voice was hoarse as if she'd spent whatever amount of time he was unconscious crying.

"Because you are my wife. And when I saw you with him I couldn't get it out of my mind-"

"Ulquiorra is just a friend." She cut him off again.

"If he's just a friend then…oww…damn it." He clutched his cheek in pain and Orihime came closer to him.

"Does it hurt?" she asked softly reaching out a hand to touch the swollen discolored skin. He winced at the contact but the cool touch soothed his scattered mind and subconsciously he leaned into it. She quickly withdrew her hand staring down at the floor.

"Come home, Orihime." Ichigo whispered to her quietly, desperately trying to convey his longing desire to be with her again.

"I can't." she replied even softer.

After sitting in intense silence for a few minutes she took his hand placed a small object in it and closed his fingers around it with hers.

"I'm sorry, Ichigo." She cried, leaving the room in heartfelt tears while he watched her go, wanting to reach out to her and pull her back to him, but he knew it wasn't any use. She was done.

He slowly uncurled his fingers opening his hand to find…a ring.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: You guys *sniffs* you all are just fantastic thank you for your thoughts and comments! I hope to hear more! I am excited to say a new character who has been mentioned in passing will be appearing in this chapter today! Cough cough Rukia. Enjoy!**

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**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any other copyrighted material.**

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Lie To Me Chpt.8

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"_Gin…" She whispered his name breathlessly like it was the only thing she ever wanted him to know. His hands tilted her chin towards his lips, stealing a chaste kiss before deepening a second one. Her hands slid to his chest gripping the fabric of his shirt tightly, never wanting him to leave. She wanted to be this close to him, always. _

"_Rangiku…"she gasped as he moved his torturous lips to her vulnerable neck feeling the erratic pulse quicken beneath him. Her hands slowly laced into his silver hair as his moved to grasp her hips. His icy gaze held her hostage to his every move and action…_

BBBRrrrrrinnnnggggggggg!

Rangiku was pulled away from her daydream of the events that had taken place before he'd left…again, by the shrill metallic cry of a telephone. She groaned rolling out of her bed and grabbing the inconvenient nuisance.

"Hello?"

"Rangiku-san?"

"Oh! Hime! What's up?"

"W-Well I was wondering if you wanted to come over and have one of _those_ parties…"

"How soon are you available?"

"Right now, works."

"I'll be there soon."

She ended the call with a _click _of her finger, a small smile creeping unto her lips. This was exactly what she needed.

When after taking an hour to decide on what outfit she would wear that day Rangiku finally arrived at Orihime's place. She was taken back by the fancy décor of the little place wondering how jacked up her friends rent must've been. She heard the faint beat of a song on the other side of the white paneled door.

She twisted the knob experimentally finding it was unlocked and sighed disdainfully. Her poor Hime was always so careless about things like this. The girl would probably happily let a robber take all her belongings if they smiled just right. She entered the spacious flat feeling a small rhythmic throb in her chest from the boom of the bass in the song. Orihime was already swaying her hips to the beat flooding her apartment.

"…_and I wanted it, I wanted it bad but there were so many red flags…"_

The voice of the female singer rang out as Orihime sashayed towards Rangiku beckoning her to join in. Rangiku cast her purse carelessly along the floor and slid out of her shoes. She followed Orihime's lead and began to express all her worries and troubles into her movement as the song continued. She and her auburn haired friend did this every once in a while when they felt down and out. They would throw a large dance party and shake around until they dropped, then they would talk it out and usually end up crying into each other as they watched a chick flick in their sweatpants.

"…_Well, I've got thick skin and an elastic heart, but your blade it might be too sharp…"_

She began to think about Gin as she twirled around rolling her hips soundly. His face flashed through her mind as she closed her eyes losing herself to the euphoric melody. She wondered how long it would be before she saw him again. He'd left in the dead of the night a couple days ago knowing had he waited until morning he'd have to deal with her tears and her pleas for him not to go.

"…_you won't see me fall apart…"_

What unnerved her about his absences the most was that she didn't know where he was going, what he was doing, or how long he'd be gone. They'd briefly talked about it once or twice both discussions ending in fights. She knew he worked for the government in some way shape or form but part of the parameters of his job included not divulging any information about his exact duties.

She sighed breathing a little heavy as the song faded into a distant drumroll. Orihime collapsed onto the couch and Rangiku took the floor leaning against the arm for support.

"So what's eating at you?" She offered hoping not to have to divulge first. Orihime was silent at first causing Rangiku to shoot her a concerned glance noticing her precious friend cover her eyes by crossing her arms across her face.

"I filed for divorce papers today…" She saw the slight hiccup in the red-heads speech and moved closer to the girl offering her arms, which she gladly took.

"Hime its okay, you don't have to cry about it. He had it coming." The sniffling girl choked out a sob.

"I-I'm won't see him anymore o-or his face, and I r-really liked his face!" Rangiku gently stroked the shuddering girls long beautiful hair somewhat understanding her thought pattern. Orihime had been head over heels for that Kurosaki since the start of high school. She'd had these deep-rooted feelings for a long time so she had a right to be a little upset about losing them. But she would get back on her feet, she always did. And someone would sweep the busty girl off her feet in a matter of no time, and treat her the way she deserved.

"I-I really loved him Rangiku…W-Why does it hurt so much?" she cried. Rangiku pondered the question. Wasn't it silly how something so wonderful and fleeting could burn so bad, leaving nothing but ashes in the wake of its passionate fury.

"Because it was real." She replied softly, effectively calming the girl down until her shaking stopped.

"I miss Gin." She continued. Orihime pulled away from her looking her in the eyes seriously, understanding the situation perfectly as usual when she said something that pertained to Gin.

"How long this time?" she asked her puffy eyes holding a worried tone.

"I don't know…" Orihime stood up and walked towards the TV stand rummaging through her collection of DVDs until she happened upon two shiny disks that piqued her interest. The girl always knew when Rangiku wanted something to take her mind off of her strange and possibly dysfunctional relationship.

"Stuck in Love or Toy Story?"

"Toy Story."

* * *

As her short black hair swished back and forth in her sassy gait Rukia Kuchiki neared the meeting place. Ichigo had agreed to meet her on the roof of Karakura High School after not returning her calls or messages for quite a few weeks. She was not happy about it to say the least.

As she ascended the steps she recalled one of her teachers that had possibly been one of the root causes of the mess she had gotten herself into crossed her mind. Kaien Shiba. He was tall and had dark raven locks that were in stark contrast to his turquoise eyes. She recalled staying after class with her sensei many afternoons just the two of them. He had been her first and even though he'd been married he said he loved her more. As a foolish 14 year old at the time of course she'd believed him. She wanted to be loved. She'd grown up in a home with cold, distant parents who didn't hold love for her but expectations instead. Her big brother, who she respected immensely, was also the type to say 'I love you' yet keep you at an arm's length distance. She wanted that warm feeling in her stomach, that happy comfort she recognized in the eyes of so many other students as they walked home. She wanted the feeling of being held in another's arms. And what older man wouldn't have taken advantage of a vulnerable cute little teenage girl? She only had herself to blame for being so weak.

She walked onto the roof finding Ichigo leaning over the rail with the most pitiful expression plastered on his face, knowing that she was the cause of whatever his trouble may be. She was feeling rather introspective today it seemed. Amidst her crazy schedule of defending clients in court and doing the 2-story tall stacks of paperwork accompanied with each of those cases somehow she'd found the time to make this happen. As the carrot-top turned she watched his broad shoulders contract and ripple along his back against his t-shirt causing her to turn away her face reddening. She wasn't sure at first what it was that drew her to him. Until she made the connection between him and Kaien. History had a nasty habit of repeating itself. Their faces were so similar, they were both married and strong-willed. And in both instances when they'd taken her, she was irrefutably vulnerable. The only difference between the two who both came from loving homes and had strong hearts was that one was dead and the other alive.

Once Miyako Shiba, Kaien's dutiful wife, had discovered their affair she'd been so devastated she'd taken her own life. Kaien had come home to find her wrists slit vertically and scarlet blood pooling the floor and staining the note she'd left before ending her suffering that simply read '_How could you do this?'_ Rukia still had that note to this day. She'd received it from Kaien in his final moments as he took his own life right in front her, by putting a gun to his head and pulling the trigger. She kept it as a reminder of her shortcomings. She'd never forgotten what he said before that gunshot.

"_I made a mistake Rukia. Sorry."_

Those words still haunted her to this day.

They followed her everywhere. A mistake, she was always the mistake and never the right choice.

"Rukia." He said her name hoarsely, like he hadn't spoken in days. There were faint yellowish blue marks along his cheek. She had a nagging hunch that she already knew why he seemed so upset. Her mind shifting to one of her old kind-hearted friends.

"Does Orihime know?" He said nothing but nodded in response. She clenched her hands tightly. She'd messed something up again.

"What about Renji?" He asked turning his head back towards the street filled with all kinds of people. She chuckled darkly moving next to him sharing his view and recalling what Renji had done about a month ago.

"He left me." The Spaniard simply walked up to her one afternoon and placed a pile of divorce papers at her feet kissed her forehead and walked away without a word. The silence that ensued in his departure had disturbed her deeply. It was as if all the tension that had been placed between them was shifted to guilt. The air seemed like it was trying to smother her. Every sound whispered it's your fault.

Ichigo did not apologize and neither did she. They weren't there to comfort each other mentally. They never had been. They were simply reminders to each other that they were both alive and breathing. Yet seeing his heartsick expression seemed to ignite a spark of anger in her for some odd reason. She was not going to allow Ichigo who was not hopeless and had the potential to live a happy life sit here in front of her defeated.

"Ichigo. " She spoke. He swiveled his gaze towards the petite girl only to feel the sharp sting of a slap in the face that sent him sputtering back.

"Rukia what the hell?!" He yelled holding his nose.

"Quit feeling sorry for yourself we both agreed to this!" she yelled.

"We both know you don't love her like you think you do because I know that Ichigo Kurosaki wouldn't cheat on his wife if he truly loved her, because that's just the kind of person you are idiot!" Ichigo's anger faded into realization. She always had to hit him to get him to listen. And she would not be blamed for the shortcomings of his marriage. Were both of them really too blind to see that they didn't really love each other? I mean, surely Ichigo had feelings for her if he'd slept with her…more than once?

"You didn't have to hit me you pipsqueak!" He shot back.

"If I hadn't hit you, you would still be moping!" He seemed to stiffen and thought about launching another witty insult at her but dropped it and instead mumbled:

"Thanks, Rukia." She felt her heart race and turned away so he wouldn't see the flush on her cheeks. How could he be so unreasonable and then so charming?

"Whatever, idiot."

* * *

Ulquiorra stood leaned against the railing of his balcony. He was not sure what the occupant underneath him was doing but he could clearly hear some popular song blaring noisily from the ground under his feet. The only place he found that could give him the satisfaction of a peaceful silence was this tiled deck upon which he now stood. He tried to pick up his violin with its soft mahogany curvature to play out the feelings he was itching to express but winced upon trying to grip his bow. He studied his hand. There was still traces of bruising along the lines of his knuckles that ached whenever he tried to grip his hand. Which annoyingly forced him to take a few days off to recover. After all, his hand was literally worth a million dollars and he had to have it in prime condition before toying around inside people's heads. But he didn't really care in all honesty about missing work.

"_Does it hurt?" her voice whispered into the quiet room._

"_A little, yes." He admitted as she stepped closer towards him. She gently took his hand in hers running her small fingers over the irritated skin gently not looking him in the eye._

"_I'm really sorry about this." He could tell she had been crying. If the faint tear tracks along her cheeks weren't a good enough indicator the fresh batch of tears laden along the bottom rim of her watery silver eyes were. _

"_I'm sorry Ulquiorra." She reiterated dipping her head down further to try and shield her face from him as she cried. He gingerly took his free hand, that wasn't being held so tightly and caught the small droplets running along her skin. _

"_There is nothing to be sorry for." And there wasn't. He would have punched Ichigo a hundred times, no, a thousand times for her sake. _

_She moved from his hand to his shirt staining the material with the salty tears. He placed his arms around her his breath hitching in his throat._

Ulquiorra sighed looking to the ground below him being able to partially see the row of terraces beneath him and he swore he caught a glimpse of auburn receding to where he could not trace it.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Tehehe I'm so excited for what's about to happen. Get ready for some serious back story involving Ulquiorra. It'll be fun! Let me know what you think! Also if anyone was curious about the song in last chapter it was Elastic Heart – Sia. Lastly sorry this update took longer than usual I've been swamped with exams! Enjoy!**

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**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any other copyrighted material.**

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Lie To Me Chpt. 9

* * *

It had been 20 minutes and I still hadn't moved from the pink fluffy rug in front of my apartment door. I couldn't stop re-reading the words that were neatly typed on the notice in front of me.

_ Greetings Ms. Inoue, _

_We regret to inform you that due to recent add-ons and change to the infrastructure of Las Noches Apartment Complex we had to raise the cost of living and utilities by quite a significant amount. We understand if you are unable to accommodate these changes and request that you turn in your notice within the next two weeks if this change is not  
achievable._

_ Our sincerest apologies, _

_ Las Noches Inc._

There was no way I could afford the price they had raised my rent too. I was paralyzed in my own intense fear of the brutal reality I was living in. I didn't have a husband anymore. I had no one to fall back on and support me. I didn't even have family to turn to. I tried to breath after realizing I'd been holding my breath for about five minutes. I closed my eyes and took a shuddering gasp. I placed the cordial notice on the bar and decided to put it out of my mind and get ready for work, deciding that I would skip breakfast altogether in fear that I would heave it all up.

It had been a whole week since the notice had arrived under the slit of my door and it still remained untouched on my bar. I had kept ignoring it hoping that one morning I would wake and find it gone, vanished like it had never appeared in the first place. I had one more week until I had to face the music.

I had completely given up on my usually well kempt appearance. My hair had been carelessly thrown into a messy up-do and I had neglected to wear any type of makeup. With all the extra-shifts I had taken recently I was too tired to even care about it either. I mean who needed sleep when you have money? And who needs money when you have an apartment?...Right?

Ulquiorra hadn't commented about my recent decline in fashion either. Which was either because it hadn't gotten too bad yet or he was just being polite. Thinking about Ulquiorra I became more and more concerned. He seemed like he had been…absent? He never said much too begin with but all of our pleasant conversations and little adventures throughout the day had come to a screeching halt as of late. It was like he was looking at me but he wasn't. I wondered where was Ulquiorra right now? My thoughts were interrupted by a mind-blowing sneeze. Man that hurt. Maybe I was starting to get a cold from spending so many nights on the floor instead of the bed? I couldn't help it though the floor was so inviting after such a long day of helping sick and scared people. I really did enjoy getting to help people though, but it was also incredibly disheartening to see such sick people all the time.

"Hey Ulquiorra-kun?" I asked innocently.

"Hmm?" He responded still staring straight-forward mindlessly.

"Um I was just wondering are you okay?" he didn't respond for a while. This only made me more conscious of the fact that something wasn't quite right with him. He never ignored me. Ever.

"I am fine, Ms. Inoue." Ouch. There was enough ice in his tone to rival Antarctica.

"A-Alright…" I stuttered not used to seeing him like this. He was always so sweet and attentive. But he seemed so cold and so far away recently. It was like I was trying to reach out to something that didn't exist, void and vast. I made a mental note to check in with Grimmjow later and see what I could find out about what would cheer him up. Maybe I would stop by with some cookies! Or maybe I would just buy some cookies because Ulquiorra probably didn't like his cookies to have pepper filling. Speaking of his apartment I had no clue which one was his. It was strange that I'd spent all this time trying to figure out my own life and had neglected to find out some basic information about one of my friends helping me find my way. I wondered what it looked like. It was probably really neat and clean.

"Hey Ulquiorra?"

"Yes Ms. Inoue?" he replied frostily.

"What's your room number?"

"516." I threw my hands over my mouth to conceal the gasp erupting from my lips. He eyed me vaguely curious.

"Is something the matter?" I felt blush rushing up to my cheeks as a familiar melody ran through my mind that I'd heard that morning. I had finally met the guy with the violin that lived above me. And too think it was someone like Ulquiorra. The thought was just insane.

"D-Do you play the violin?" he seemed somewhat caught off-guard by my question.

"I do." I busted out the biggest smile I could manage.

"C-Could you play for me sometime? I can hear it sometimes in the morning but it would be so cool to watch you Ulquiorra-kun!" He obscured his mouth with his hand so his response was muffled slightly.

"I suppose that can be arranged." I shrieked in joy and looped my arms around his which was tethered to his pocket. I was too bubbly to realize that he had stiffened at my touch slightly.

"Thank you Ulquiorra-kun!" In the midst of this stressful sad and scary week I was overcome by relief in that moment. Because in that moment I realized I did have someone to lean on. Someone who was standing right beside me.

* * *

It had been 9 days since Ulquiorra had last slept. He had spent several nights awake staring aimlessly at the white ceiling of his bedroom in silent rage. That man was coming back, again.

It had been exactly 7 years since he had last laid emerald eyes on him. 7 years of recovering from the hell he had created in his life. And 7 years of trying to find ways of subtle vengeance against him.

He recalled the time when he had first met the man. He had slicked back mouse brown hair with a single wavy strand falling forward. His brown eyes held an omnipotent quality and made him feel as insignificant as a grain of rice when looking into them. It was like looking into the eyes of a God and realizing how useless you are. He always wore a lab coat. White and spotless. Whether he was going out for an evening or not he always wore it.

"_Ulquiorra look who has joined us for dinner tonight?" Ulquiorra looked to the tall man standing beside his adoptive mother Ayaka. He looked like a clean cut man yet had an edge to him, something about the way he looked at him made him uneasy. _

_Of course his doting caretaker was staring at the suspicious man with all adoration. Her hair was done, and he could see the extra effort in the makeup she had lathered on._

"_Hello Ulquiorra" the way he said his name made Ulquiorra want to cringe._

"_My name is Sosuke Aizen." He finished proudly. Ulquiorra pushed his glasses back unto the bridge of his nose_ _his mouth remaining shut, eyes glaring at Aizen. This man was not his friend. _

"_A pleasure." He lied shaking Aizen's large hand. _

That first visit wasn't the only time Aizen had appeared unexpectedly in his house. He never said much to the man when he was around, because he didn't like his presence. It was something akin to the sensation one gets when walking amongst eggshells.

"_Atsushi-senpai."_

"_Ulquiorra! I've told you so many times to call me Ayaka or even Mom!" she complained irritably at his use of honorifics. He would never tell her he called her senpai because he held a deep respect for the things she had taught him and done for his sake though. _

"_What are these?"_

_She quickly snatched the several important papers from his pale slender hand muttering that he need not worry about them over and over as if trying to convince herself. He had already read through the documents though and found that they were papers to file for the distribution of her savings in the event that she pass unexpectedly. _

The final time he'd seen him was the day he graduated eighth grade. That terrible day when he realized finally what the man's motive was for intruding into his and Ayaka's life.

_Ulquiorra opened the door slowly. His black backpack slung over one shoulder and a small diploma with calculators and apples printed on it proving his accomplishment thus far in academics in hand. He hung his back pack on the rack where he usually did every day when he came home and slipped off his shoes still gripping the rolled up paper tightly eager to show his mother. He turned the corner into the living room a small smile forming on his pale lips only to drop the achievement to the blood soaked ground. _

"_What…" He dropped unto his knees his teeth clenched together tightly and his small body trembling. There laid out before him was his Ayaka. Her elegant black hair strewn across the floor and her face distorted by blood from the slowly leaking wound slit across her neck. Her brown eyes were still opened wide and lifeless but the shock was still painted clearly in her features. A knife was clutched in her left hand and her body slumped on its side. There above her stood Aizen Sosuke with a bewildered smile plastered across his mouth. Not looking the least bit upset or hurt over the dead woman. _

"_How truly disappointing it is, that she fell so easily in love with me." he said condescendingly brushing past Ulquiorra who was still bound to the ground by his knees in fear and disbelief. Aizen's chiseled features were spattered in crimson liquid as he gazed down upon Ulquiorra. _

"_I can only hope that you will not be so…predictable."_

He clenched his fists tightly around the scalpel in his hand. His fleeting ease he felt around Orihime had left him completely. The woman was even concerned for him yet he brushed her aside. He couldn't play in her world of happiness and colors anymore. The brief colorful clarity he had been blessed in experiencing was slowly sapping away again as he fell further and further a victim to his own traumatized thought process.

"_Ulquiorra-san."_

"_What is it Szayel?" he asked not quite in the mood to deal with pink-haired doctor's antics._

"_Aizen-senpai is coming back here soon." He froze not looking the chief in the eyes. _

"_How soon?"His voice was flat yet he knew the tinge of anger could b heard by the perceptive man behind him._

"_Soon."_

Ayaka's pale lifeless face flashed across his mind again as he continued strolling forwards toward the sink to cleanse his hands of the cadaver's cold dull blood. Her doting expression haunting him as she laid lifeless beneath the very man that murdered her and used her trusting heart to scam her out of her cheap life insurance. He stood over her like a rose trampled on the ground. Was this the person that had filled Ayaka's life with color? Because crimson was all he could see then. That precious yet deadly essential that both gave life and took it.

Truly not even Orihime Inoue, his hope, could heal this wound that despair had gnawed inside him, festering in his heart like a disease. Corroding his passion and leaving a shell in its wake.

Yet his rage would not be unheard.

"_Ulquiorra."_ Her voice pulled him from his despairing memories. The haunting images slowly being replaced by her beautiful face. Crimson fading to auburn.

"Ulquiorra-kun, come on! I-Is something wrong?" He could still feel the gaping hole in his heart yet the pain was dulled by her gentle presence.

"Let's go Ms. Inoue."

"Y-Yeah!" She skipped happily alongside him whistling as they continued silently towards their apartments.

When they neared her apartment he noticed that something was amiss with Orihime. She looked weary. Her appearance was lacking it's normal luster and she seemed fearful of her upcoming apartment, like there was some kind of monster waiting for her there. His mind played over the promise he'd made earlier that morning wanting to see her joyous face instead of this dreading one gain.

"Orihime." She looked to him snapping out of her brief depression.

"Hmm?" she murmured.

"I don't suppose you would be interested in hearing me play for you now would you?" She gasped.

"Y-yes I would!"

"You must be incredibly tired after such a long day." He teased.

"I-I'm fine!"

"Well I guess it cannot be helped then." He lead her up a floor further toward his sparse apartment.

* * *

If I thought my apartment was big I was sadly mistaken. Ulquiorra's dwelling put mine to shame. While it was just as dull and tidy as I had anticipated it I was extremely tempted to go through the entire place and look at all of his peculiar items. Like the notebooks that were piled high on his coffee table and pictures hung in various places on the walls.

"Please take a seat, Ms. Inoue." She blushed realizing she was gawking and remembered her manners.

"Sorry!" I clasped my hands together sitting on the neat leather couch in his large living room. I watched closely as he pulled a beautiful instrument from its hard black case. He instinctively unclasped the golden locks holding the little device inside. He cracked his knuckles and placed his slender fingers on the bow and nudged the piece beneath his chin and begun to play.

The music was beautiful and not seeming like it was well rehearsed either yet it was still breathtakingly beautiful.

"My late mother taught me how to play this when I was very young." He remarked as he closed his emerald eyes delving further into the slow melody. It was awe-inspiring and gentle. Every note put my heart at ease. The anxiety I was feeling about the rent was diminishing in every stroke of his hand. I felt my eyelids growing heavy as he continued lulling me into an even more relaxed state.

"It's beautiful Ulquiorra-kun." My words didn't do it justice. I felt my heart tug watching his passionate expression. Ulquiorra never spoke of his mother. I'd heard rumors that she'd committed suicide at the start of high school, but I'd never asked. He was so focused and caught up in his piece. I felt something like butterflies rise in my stomach as I leaned into his couch. It seemed so inviting. I felt so at peace, and I am convinced that his music was leading me to that feeling. Safety, and comfort. Ulquiorra was right here. I didn't need to worry about what I looked like in front of him. He didn't care. He was standing right in front of me after all wasn't he?

* * *

As he finished out the echoing notes of his impromptu performance Ulquiorra refocused his eyes on the woman leaning heavily on the couch in front of him. She was exhausted. He took immense satisfaction in the slight smile in her features as she fell into a deeper sleep. He was secretly pleased that he had lulled her out of consciousness with his lullaby. He wasn't sure what was plaguing her but he would find out whenever she decided to grace him with that information. For now he was content in offering her momentary rest. He bashfully decided it would be to much of an intrusion and an embarrassment to move her to his bed. He didn't want her to think he was a pervert of any kind. So he settled for slipping off her shoes and placing them at the doorway along with her purse. He wouldn't dare disturb her now. He grabbed some spare blankets from his bedroom and carefully laid them across her sleeping form. He sighed wanting desperately for his true feelings to be heard by her and even more so for them to be reciprocated. When she had announced her engagement to Ichigo Kurosaki a few years prior he thought he'd lost his chance for eternity and couldn't bring himself to appear at their wedding and behold her beauty on that day. He was sure she had been radiant. But now that things were different he couldn't be sure of what might happen but he knew he wouldn't be able to restrain his feeling for much longer.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: What's up everyone? I hope you're all great! Also…HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY TO OUR FAVORITE EX-ESPADA NELIEL! Today's chapter will include a little hurrah in honor of this occasion. Enjoy!**

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**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any other copyrighted material.**

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Lie To Me Chpt. 10

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As I woke up slowly being pulled into a state of consciousness I was serenaded by the sound of birds chirping in the distance. A fragrant yet dull scent of lilac filling my nostrils as I breathed in the morning air feeling rested. Clean white sheets hugged around my body swaddling me in complete and udder security. I slowly cracked open an eye and found myself puzzled. Where exactly was I? I didn't dare move. Had I been kidnapped by some robber in the night? I inhaled slowly trying to calm down and think rationally. Robbers didn't have houses that smelled so nice did they? I relaxed when I realized I'd fallen asleep at Ulquiorra's. Yet shortly after this realization I shot upright my palms slapping against my reddening cheeks. I fell asleep in Ulquiorra's apartment.

"Good morning, Ms. Inoue." I shrieked and landed face first on the hardwood.

"Ouch." I mumbled rubbing the sore area of impact on my skull. I slowly stood up recalling the events from last night. Ulquiorra had played so beautifully that I'd fallen asleep, his magical hands stroking the chords so effortlessly. I definitely wanted to hear him play again. I hoped he didn't consider it rude that I had fallen into glorious slumber at his doing. I looked down and realized I was still wearing my scrubs from the previous day, so nothing had happened between…us…right? Subconsciously I stroked my hands through my tussled hair trying to make it presentable. I shook my head as scandalous images ran through my weary mind of me and a certain violinist.

"Are you alright Ms. Inoue? You look a little flushed." I swatted his pale hand away.

"I-I'm fine Ulquiorra really!" He looked unsure but dropped the subject anyway. He was dressed rather dashingly I noticed. His slender yet admirable form was clad in a faded white button down and black dress pants. He had even tucked it in. He was kind of like a prince.

Wow, I must have really hit the deep sleep because I was thinking crazy things.

"Um…so when did…" I stammered unsure of how to phrase this awkward burning question.

"I assure you nothing unwholesome took place last night. You merely fell asleep whilst I played for you." I sighed, relieved. He turned away from me and then stopped on his stride towards the kitchen. His hands were tucked into his pockets and he rotated towards me slightly while still facing away.

"You were quite…tired." His statement was posed as more of a question than an observation. I could guess from his so-what-the-heck-is-going-on-with-you look that he was seeking out an answer. I shifted uncomfortably unsure of whether I wanted to tell Ulquiorra about the rent situation or not. I really didn't like burdening other people with my problems. Sure, I didn't mind some help every once in a while. But something like this was something I needed to deal with. I was grateful to him for letting me sleep soundly throughout the night though. I had almost reached my limit, and was relieved that I hadn't said anything major while I wasn't in my right mind. I mean nothing good can be said when you haven't slept correctly in like two weeks right?

Besides I was on my own now. That conclusion which Ulquiorra and the notice helped me realize was enough to help me understand that being alone isn't a terrible thing. I needed to grow. I needed to sort out my conflicted feelings and heal. I had been on my own before, and lived alone. I would find a way to make the rent every month. Even if that meant cutting back hours at the hospital and taking on a second job. Maybe once that was taken care of I could think about other things. Ulquiorra certainly didn't need or want to carry my weight for me.

"I was but I'm fine now." I replied smiling stupidly at my well-rested epiphany. He simply nodded and continued on towards his kitchen.

* * *

"_I have to tell you something."_

Rukia sat in a nearly vacant coffee shop her legs crossed tightly underneath the table. An empty chair stared at her from across and she gazed through her violet blue eyes out the window, staring absently at a little boy walking with his mother hand in hand, those words staining her lids every time she blinked.

He was late.

Of course Ichigo wasn't particularly known for his promptness in the first place. Yet it was unsettling. Here they were still in cahoots with each other after all the terrible sins they'd committed yet she regretted nothing. In fact she missed him. She missed the feeling of his weight on top of her and the feeling of his hair as she ran her fingers through it. She missed the way he said her name like it was something he craved for. And most of all she missed the 'I love you' he would whisper to her when he thought she wasn't listening. Even though his words were empty when he'd said it and they'd brushed over her without a second thought the first time she'd heard them, they had come to mean something more.

She wanted desperately to hear those words again.

She wanted to be craved, and wanted.

She wanted to be the first choice for once.

"Why the sad look pipsqueak?" she pulled her absent gaze away from the street view and stared into the brown eyes of the tall orange-haired man before her.

"I'm not sad you idiot." She replied, hostility flaring in her inflection.

Ichigo took the empty seat and looked her straight in the eye. She averted hers elsewhere not being able to take the intensity his held. Normally she would have faced them head on yet she felt so insignificantly small. She didn't like the tone he'd used earlier when over the phone he'd said there was something urgent he needed to say. She had a feeling that she was about to receive the 'it's not you, it's me' speech.

"Rukia." She met his gaze briefly.

"Look at me." She did as she was commanded fearful that he might pick up on her distress. She hated feeling helpless yet that was exactly what she was overcome by. She didn't want to be cast aside.

"Ichigo…what did you have to tell me?" Her voice betrayed her outward indifference. He picked up on this and gave a soft smile at her concern. She felt frustrated by this. Did he think messing with her feelings was that amusing? She wasn't something to be stomped on by his big clumsy feet.

"If you're worried I'm about to tell you that I don't need you, you're being an idiot." He said painstakingly blunt.

While normally his condescending tone would have irritated her she was overcome in relief that he wasn't done with **them**. She knew his somewhat rude way of putting words was to reassure her of his intentions.

"But…" she felt her breath hitch in her throat and gripped the edge of the table a little tighter in anticipation for his following words, the brief relief she felt flying out the window.

"I am leaving." He finished. She swallowed down the lump in her throat.

"For how long?" He leaned back in his chair running a hand through his orange locks.

"I don't know yet." She preceded to listen to Ichigo tell her about the wonderful opportunity that their CEO Kisuke Urahara had offered him. Upon hearing and processing his divorce papers he as elusive as he was decided to give Ichigo a chance to get out. They would travel to America and various places in Europe to keep a hold on the firms which were a 'tricky business' apparently. There wasn't really a time limit on the trip and all expenses would be sent to the firm's vast money pits. So he was basically going on an all-expenses paid vacation from work.

While she knew she should have been happy for him she felt really upset. She wanted him to stay here and be with her as clingy as it sounded. There was something so comforting and completing about being with Ichigo that she hadn't really felt before. She bit her lip holding back her stupid useless feelings. Shut up and be happy for him you idiot. She cursed herself.

"Rukia." She looked back at him again.

"I need this." She was confused by his wording.

"What do you mean, Ichigo?" she replied tentatively.

He stood and offered her a hand pulling her from the hardwood chair. He wordlessly scrambled together a few yen and left them on the tan-stained wooden table as they walked out. He was so strange sometimes in the way he liked to tell her things.

"Things between you and me didn't start off in a good way." He began as they walked along the sidewalk of the streets.

"So you're saying you never want to see me again am I right?" she bit off.

"Rukia, just listen to me for once and don't get upset okay?" she stopped scowling and looked to him, he wasn't usually this serious.

"When I was about 9 my mom died in a freak accident. Remember me telling you about that?" she recalled the time before they'd first well you know…when Ichigo had been so in pain it seemed. His eyes held a light like she'd never seen. His normal deep set determination and drive had gone away and was replaced by a gnawing emptiness. The kinds of which she'd seen in herself. That feeling was all too familiar for her comfort. It was a feeling that never went away. It stayed with you like a shadow. Lingering behind your back until the right moment when you can't see it and it surprises you. He'd spilled out that it was the anniversary of the day his mother had died. He had spilled out all the details of the hit and run and told Rukia about how it had affected his family.

They'd grown up without the nurturer they needed. Ichigo had all responsibilities to uphold and support they're wavering unit together. His dad was a wreck sometimes going days without speaking a word and staring aimlessly at pictures of his beautiful deceased wife. This sudden shift of burdens had robbed Ichigo of his childhood and left him with the mindset it was all on him all the time. It made him think he had no one to turn too when things got rough because he couldn't be a burden on his grieving relatives any further. She knew that mindset very well and the terrible anxiety it brought with it. She'd experienced it in her own dysfunctional family.

She'd reached out her hands to his tense body while they sat in his office, his breathing increasing rapidly as an anxiety attack was beginning to take over as his sentences turned into desperate gasps for air. He and Orihime had gotten into an argument and his case had fallen through. He had made a minor mistake that sent an innocent man to prison for a years' worth of unnecessary time. Ichigo was overwhelmed in his own guilt. Guilt for making his wife feel bad, for taking away the precious unregainable time of another human being, and for not being able to save his mother from an inescapable and unpredictable death. She'd held him as he shook trying desperately to calm him down. She'd never seen him in such a come apart. She remembered wondering if Orihime knew the extent of how unstable and vulnerable Ichigo was feeling. Showing this side of yourself to someone isn't to be taken lightly.

Not to say he didn't tell her to leave him be. She stuck by him though and fought against his struggling until he let her stay there. She knew that even if he wouldn't admit it aloud he wanted someone to fight him and be there. She had always wanted that. Always.

"Yes I remember." She said nostalgically scanning over his features to put the image of his terrified façade out of mind.

"I'm still living with that every day." He said softly. She stayed quiet as she was asked earlier waiting patiently for further explanation.

"I don't think it was right for me to seek you out for companionship when I had Orihime. The first time we did it, I didn't do it because I cared about you Rukia I did it because I was being selfish. That was wrong." She nodded turning her head elsewhere feeling just as useless and unwanted as she had when she was waiting for him in that coffee shop.

"But…after that things were different even though I don't love you even now. But I can't say that I feel nothing for you Rukia." Damn it she was not about to cry. Not in front of him especially.

"Rukia." He tried to touch her but all he earned was a stinging _slap! _in the face. He watched a red eyed Rukia scowl at him, her body language clearly depicting that his words had upset her.

"Please, I get it Ichigo! I don't want to hear it anymore, I know that I'm no Orihime!" She yelled tears coming to the forefront of her beautiful face. She quickly turned away from him tearing down the street towards the nearest park as he chased her yelling things like '_wait Rukia!'_

She felt embarrassed. She had given up so much for him and fallen into the same trap again of falling into the arms of a man who didn't love her. She really wasn't cut out for this stupid stupid romance bullshit. Her heart was pounding as she heard him gaining ground on her as she flew by trees tears beginning to leak blurring the forest into green and brown blobs. Part of her wanted to turn around and let him catch but another told her to keep running.

"Stop, stop let me go!" she yelled as Ichigo caught her wrist and pinned her between a nearby birch tree and himself. She didn't expect the sudden thrash of her chest as he silenced her protests with a rough passionate kiss that left her staring blankly at him trying to catch her breath. He released her hands and brought his own up to cup her face within them.

"I still need you, you idiot." He said softly and sternly his voice devoid of harshness. He stepped away from her.

"I'm doing this so I can get some distance and sort things out. I've done a lot of crappy things lately. And if me and you are going to end up being together I want it to be the right way." She sniffled and took one large step towards him. He retreated fearing another slap.

"You jackass…" she gripped his shirt and stood on the tips of her toes.

"Why didn't you say that first?" she caught his lips again pulling him down to her level, much to Ichigo's surprise.

They were messed up people. But at least they were two messed up people that understood one another.

* * *

After showering, and drinking one or two cups of coffee I walked myself up to Ulquiorra's apartment with a plate of cookies in hand. I had decided on baking them instead of buying, yet I omitted the peppers this time. I wanted Ulquiorra to think I had put some thought and care into them as thanks for his gracious allowance of me crashing his place.

I figured he had received the invite to Nel's birthday party as well, considering that he and Grimmjow were so buddy-buddy. I rasped my hand on the door three quick times and waited calmly. After a few moments a thump of feet preceded the slow creak of the door as it opened.

"Ah, Ms. Inoue." I blushed and shoved the plate of cookies into his chest.

"H-here I made some cookies for you!" he took the plate in one hand and with the other held open the door for me. I walked into the familiar space quickly turning around as Ulquiorra placed the plate of steaming chocolatey chipped delectables on his table.

"I hope you don't mind me stopping by again I just wanted to say thanks you know?" Ulquiorra lifted one round lumpy cookie to his mouth and paused to reply.

"What do you mean?" he took a bite, chewing slowly.

"You know for letting me stay here!" He shook his head and muttered 'delicious' under his breath.

"Well I would not have let just any person stay here, but for you…" he paused and looked straight into my eyes.

"The door is always open." I blushed and quickly racked my brain to change the subject. Why did he have to be so courteous all the time.

"D-Did you get an invite to Nel's birthday?" I stammered. He retreated back to what I assumed was his bedroom and returned with a small black box.

"I did." I stared at the rectangular gift wondering what was inside.

"How about we go together?" I offered he grabbed his coat, a small almost invisible smile gracing his stoic features.

"Nothing sounds more pleasant."

When Ulquiorra and Orihime had arrived at the residence of his best friend things went about as he expected.

Neliel had nearly devoured the entire cake in a matter of minutes while the woman gushed with the very pregnant turquoise haired wife about the events in her life and all that had happened since they'd last met.

The blonde and a little bit drunk Matsumoto showed up late as expected with two bottles of wine in hand. He reminded her that Neliel was pregnant and therefore could not drink but her only response was:

"What do you mean Neliel is pregnant? She's having a birthday not a baby silly." He decided not to argue too amused by the logic of the busty woman. Grimmjow entered the fray shortly after clad in his navy uniform and had a drinking contest with Matsumoto until they were both hopelessly intoxicated. His blue-haired associate then preceded to stumble over towards him, managing to tear down the colorful streamers all across the walls until he reached Ulquiorra who offered him a hand.

"Isn't it rather unbecoming for a cop to be drunk?" Grimmjow slung an arm over Ulquiorra's shoulders.

"Ehhh?" he groaned loudly into his ear. Ulquiorra shoved him off and into the wall where he sat chuckling to himself.

"C'mon lighten up man have a drink." He shook his head in disdain at the sight of his red-faced friend.

"No thank you." He turned just in time to see the precarious sight of Orihime giving into peer pressure and cautiously sipping on a glass of red wine.

It only took a few minutes for the side effects to kick in. The woman obviously had absolutely no tolerance for the depressant. She was hiccupping and giggling hopelessly along with her blonde companion. Matsumoto was truly a bad influence at times. It dawned on him he would be the one dealing with the drunken woman yet it didn't bother him. She seemed much more relaxed than before and whatever had been bothering her seemed to have gone away.

"Isn't it fun to be the only sober people at your own birthday party?" He turned his head to take in the waddling Neliel walking towards him with hands encircling her bloated stomach.

"She's had a rough year." Neliel commented eyeing Orihime. He flicked his eyes upon her as well.

"I would imagine so." He commented feeling the pregnant woman's gaze on him.

"You still haven't told her have you Ulqui-kun?" he let the worry in her tone roll off of him.

"She need not be burdened with unwanted suitors right now. As you said she's had a rough year." He ignored the pitying look he received.

"You deserve to be happy too Ulqui-kun. I think it's sad that you've spent all of your time since high school thinking about her when you get nothing in return," He thought about snapping at her but he didn't quite know why. He would confess when he was good and ready. The timing wasn't perfect yet.

"Let's not focus on me when it's your day, Neliel." Ulquiorra said trying to come across as pleasant yet it sounded forced.

They celebrated for a while longer and then Neliel opened her presents. Most of them were various infant outfits and bottles yet when she opened the gift he had gotten her she fell silent and then bear hugged him to the point where he thought his shoulders would crack.

"Thank you, Thank you, Thank you Ulqui-kun!" the gift was a simple silver necklace with an elk as a pendant. Neliel had always been fond of the creature as much as it puzzled him. Rangiku and Orihime sniffled in affect. The former claiming how thoughtful he was as she used Orihime's sleeve as a tissue. While Orihime was just staring at him a goofy smile plastered on and a strange almost mischievous look in her eye.

She mumbled the word 'prince' scrambling for her glass again. He reached out a hand to stop her. Their eyes connecting briefly. She had consumed much more than she was used to he was sure. He didn't want her to be sick either. Though he was certain she would have a raging headache the following morning. Toting the muttering Ms. Inoue along Ulquiorra excused them saying he would see to it that she got home safely. The drunk woman exclaimed at ordinary things all the way home grabbing his arm when she, often, lost her balance. He found her childish state endearing as she pointed at a stop sign saying how pretty the color red was.

Like any responsible adult he took her back to her apartment looking for where she kept glasses and aspirin knowing she would need it come morning time. He told himself it was okay to search for such things given that she was in such a state and wouldn't remember most likely anyway.

"Ulquiorrrrrraaaaa-kuunnnn." He heard Orihime roll his name off her tongue and then burst into a fit of giggles. He cautiously moved towards the disheveled woman curiously, witnessing her splayed across the sofa in an awkward manner. He wordlessly helped her to her feet and then towards her bedroom.

"Hey Ulquiorrrrraaaa, what happened to your glasses? I remember you h-had them in high school you were so cuteee." She brushed her torturous fingers across his cheek as he helped her lay down on the bed. Oh the things she could do to his state of mind with a single stroke of her thumb. Neliel's words ran through his brain.

"_I think it's sad that you've spent all of your time since high school thinking about her when you get nothing in return."_

He needed to escape quickly.

"Ulquiorraaaa help me." He turned his emerald gaze back to her and covered his mouth feeling heat rush into his cheeks. She was tugging off her shirt but it was caught on her large bosom leaving the uncoordinated Orihime in a fit. She gave up and fell back on the bed sighing her cheeks still flushed. The sight of her disheveled form made his heart run wild.

"It's so hot Ulquiorra." She whined as he neared her. His gaze turning predatory.

"Please help me get out of these." She begged him. He paused for a moment his sanity waning but then abruptly wrapped her into blankets until her attempts to strip were rendered useless.

"Ulquiorra-kun! You're so mean!" She sobbed but after a few minutes fell asleep again leaving a red-faced Ulquiorra awake at her bedside. He left the room quickly wanting to take a long cold shower but not before placing two aspirin tablets and a glass of water on the bedside table.

Honestly, it was cruel how she could manipulate him so easily without even realizing it. His restraint was slipping little by little every day and he had just then come so close to throwing his caution out the window and ravishing the innocent woman senseless.

But he would wait.

He would wait and endure his lingering desires for her, until she decided to let him be with her.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: Today we take a journey into the many misadventures of the Bleach Squad in high school :-) You could pretty much call this chapter the chapter of flashbacks. I figured you guys would want a little insight on their younger years. Also introducing Tatsuki who may or may not be entering the story soon. Tehehe. Let me know what you think! Enjoy!**

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**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any other copyrighted material.**

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Lie To Me Chpt. 11

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As Ulquiorra walked alone towards the hospital he thought over the words and actions of the woman the previous night. Her lingering touch was fresh on his mind but one comment stood out from all of the nonsense she'd spouted in her drunken state.

"_Hey Ulquiorrrrraaaa, what happened to your glasses? I remember you h-had them in high school you were so cuteee."_

While it pleased him that she found the contraption appealing in those dark scrawny despairing high school days he couldn't help but feel somewhat embarrassed that he'd gotten rid of the things and replaced them with contacts in an effort to gain more of her attention and not look quite so helpless.

***FLASHBACK***

"Hey! Hime-chan what kind of boys do you think are cute?" The sudden comment made Ulquiorra turn his head towards the group of blushing high school girls gathered around a flustered Orihime Inoue. The woman clutched her hands together in front of her chest, her gaze darting in every direction.

"W-Well…" Her gray eyes landed on a certain tall and athletic Ichigo Kurosaki. Her quivered lips shifted into a smile and she turned back to the curious girls.

"I like tall guys, with orange hair that are kind and considerate and strong-"

"Looks like Orihime-chan has a crush on Kurosaki-kun." One girl interrupted whispering loudly to the others. Orihime immediately turned several shades darker.

"N-No I don't!"

Ulquiorra sighed and pushed up his glasses burdening the bridge of his nose his own eyes shifting towards the tall jock. He compared himself to the athlete and realized he fell short in terms of build. Sure he could easily have beat him academically but he would never be able to fend off the boy should it come down to a matter of fists.

"Why the sad face Schiffer?" he heard Grimmjow attempt to whisper from behind him. He took in the blue-haired rebels appearance frowning. Grimmjow had a nasty habit of leaving his shirt almost completely open and untucked as well as neglecting to wear his uniform tie. Sloppy.

"It does not concern you, trash." Grimmjow chuckled and slung an arm around his neck nearly banging his into the desk from the careless excessive use of force earning an audible '_oomph'_ from Ulquiorra.

"I bet it's that girl from class 2-A isn't it?" He putting in tremendous effort lifted the oaf's arm off of his neck and stood from the desk.

Ulquiorra noted the build of Grimmjow as well. His lean torso and thick arms were signs of his years of competing in baseball. He looked down at himself and realized his uniform was practically swallowing his entire frame.

"What the hell are you starin' at Schiffer?" Grimmjow questioned raising an eyebrow at the black-haired boy.

"I have decided to join a gym." He deadpanned.

Grimmjow busted into maniacal laughter barring his rather sharp canines in exuberance.

"You're whipped, you're so goddamn whipped!" He cackled while an embarrassed Ulquiorra strode away from the laughing idiot whom he called his friend and retreated toward the quiet refuge of the hallway. As he made his way down the hallway keeping his head down he bumped into a familiar face.

"Crap! I'm sorry man!" The voice belonged to a female whom he recognized as the woman's close friend. They were always with each other. She had shorter hair than himself that was raven and spiky. She was at best eye-level with him yet he could tell she wasn't like the other frivolous girls that took up the halls at Karakura High School. She seemed blatantly genuine.

"The fault is mine." He reassured the girl.

"Your name is Ulquiorra right? Class 2-A?" he stood up and dusted off his tidy uniform straightening the pale yellow jacket.

"That is correct." The girl smiled and stuck out a hand.

"My names Tatsuki Arisawa! Nice to meet you Ulquiorra." Reluctantly he shook the girl's hand, committing her name into his memory. He decided he didn't find her repulsive. He continued on his stride toward the staircase escaping into the empty courtyard where no one would disturb him.

***END OF FLASHBACK***

Ulquiorra recalled Tatsuki's image into his mind remembering their many escapades as highschoolers. She was defiant, rebellious, yet also civilized and rational. He had valued her friendship considerably. After all she was the one who along with the influence of her best friend and others inspired him to change. They didn't have the same kind of friendship as most people. They were silent companions who on occasion would instigate trouble gym class from their wicked competitions as well as in mathematics which the girl had been surprisingly intelligent in. Those were fond memories.

***FLASHBACK***

The ball was right there in front of him laid out like a fine dinner on a silver platter. All he had to do was kick the accursed object into the net and victory was assured. Except…

"YOU MIGHT BE BETTER AT MATH BUT YOU WON"T BEAT ME IN SOCCER!" He was mere inches away, the sweet taste of victory on the very tip of his tongue nearing him with every passing second.

"KYYAAA!" Ah, and there it went. Arisawa had stolen the ball and was making her way towards the opposite goal running farther and farther out of his reach. He took in a deep breath his dark hair sticking to his forehead from the perspiration dripping off his brow. His stamina was wavering as he sprinted towards the girl not giving in to defeat quite yet. He could feel excitement streaming throughout his bloodline as he neared her taking her on in delicate and quick footwork. Both trying to maneuver the ball out from the others foot. The others surrounding them regardless of team could merely watch as they battled each other. While most boys were either afraid of Arisawa or hid behind the screen that 'they wouldn't play a girl' because they acknowledged her secretly as superior in the sport, Ulquiorra faced her head on, enjoying the feeling of pushing his boundaries and falling tired after so much excessive racing of legs and striving to attain the sacred shot into what was referred to as the 'upper 90' just out of the goal keepers reaching fingers.

Yet in all of his efforts the raven-haired opponent prevailed and shrieked in joy rearing her fists back in celebration.

Ulquiorra sighed his vision obscured from the sweat as he breathed heavily.

"Told you I'd beat you Ulquiorra." She said between gasps. He lifted the bottom of his shirt halfway exposing the pale exterior of his shapely abdomen and ran it across his face to soak up the sweat.

"It is a shame that soccer isn't like Math." The fire quickly returned to the girl's eyes and she looked like she might very well punch him squarely in the jaw for his comment.

"Tatsuki-chaaannn!" He turned watching Orihime Inoue stride toward them her face alight with glee, her long auburn locks cascading behind her back.

"Nice goal!" Arisawa raised a hand and hive fived the curvaceous woman. She smiled and turned her attention toward him.

"That was incredible Ulquiorra-kun! I didn't think anyone could match Tatsuki-chan in speed!" He struggled to refrain from blushing trying not to depict emotion and form coherent words in his mind.

"It was quite the challenge." The girl smiled and continued to gush about how cool it is when soccer players ram a goal in from far out using her hands and adding in plenty 'POW's' and 'SMACK's" where she could not conceive words. He listened intently and then recounted some games he'd seen with Grimmjow fascinating a wide-eyed Orihime.

***END OF FLASHBACK***

Of course with the share of good memories there were also hard times that Ulquiorra and Arisawa had been through.

***FLASHBACK***

Ulquiorra walked out of the school relieved that his day had finally come to an end. His assignments were complete and his piece for the school orchestra had been finished though he had had to stay late to accomplish it in its entirety.

As he walked across the pathway leading to the street he noticed two figures standing at the gateway he paused using his index finger to nudge his glasses up so he could clearly see the two. He recognized Arisawa and another male. He was taller than the girl and definitely stronger. He crept closer trying to remain silent as he overheard what little was left of their conversation.

"…I don't understand Ryo. Was it all a lie from the start, everything?" he heard the male chuckle darkly.

"It's your own fault for being so gullible. I mean…how desperate for a man are you?" He heard the audible thump of a water bottle being dropped on concrete the liquid inside making a splooshing sound.

"All I had to do was say a few nice things and do a few nice things and you fell right for me!" he heard the male snicker despicably.

"It was just a joke that the guys dared me to do. Besides I'd never go for a girl as cheap as you. So let's just forget about this. Okay?" Arisawa said nothing as Ryo's footsteps faded into the distance. He peered towards the scene from where he was hidden behind a nearby tree. He saw Arisawa's head facing towards the ground. Her hands clutched tightly on the strap of her gym bag so much so that her knuckles were turning pale. He watched as glittering tears slowly met with the hard stone of the sidewalk as she wiped her face furiously. Futilely trying to stop the tears from escaping. The sight made him clench his teeth.

* * *

"Yo! Ulquiorra!" Ulquiorra turned his head in the direction by which he'd been summoned. Grimmjow was leaning against a desk that seated Neliel who was looking adoringly at the former.

"Have you heard Ulqui-kun?" They both stared at him with expectant eyes leaning in closer to hear his response.

"Heard what?" Neliel gasped covering her hands over her mouth and Grimmjow very seriously looked him in the eyes folding his arms across his chest.

"Some guy on the soccer team showed up today with bruises covering his face and a black eye, said some prick did it to him. But he wouldn't say who."

Ulquiorra laid his bag in silence on the floor and situated himself into a desk fidgeting with his uniform noting it had become smaller than he was comfortable with as proof of his efforts in exercising.

"It would seem he deserved what he got then." Grimmjow raised an eyebrow picking up on the curious anger radiating from his friend and noting the bruises peppering the knuckles on Ulquiorra's hands.

"Yeah I guess you could say that." Grimmjow replied beginning to think he knew who the culprit was behind the assault.

* * *

"Hey have you noticed how scary that guy has gotten lately?"

"Who the one with the long hair and glasses?"

"Yeah I heard he just looked at a guy yesterday and it sent him to the hospital"

Ulquiorra brushed past numerous judgmental curious glances hearing all of the whispers and gossip. It was true he had probably looked much more threatening than normal yet he couldn't care less. All he could see when he looked in the mirror lately was the blood smeared along his face and covering his hands from holding his mother's cold dead body tightly in his grip. He was constantly reliving the agony of the scene over and over in his head. The triggers could be something as simple as a shutting of a door to the image of a police car driving on the street.

He pictured himself throwing a fit a fit as the officers had pried him and his mother apart. His echoing screams as he watched them roll yellow tape around her putting her on display for all to see in her death.

How cruel. He thought staring out the window of his classroom observing two birds squabble over a nest. The smaller one defending the eggs as the larger one pecked incessantly at the smaller. Wounds began forming until the bird used its talons and sunk deep into the flesh of its opponent effectively ending the struggle as it fell limp across the eggs, protecting them even in death.

As the days past Grimmjow had tried talking sense into him trying to get ahold of why he was in such a state of apathy. Yet he ignored his pleas, his pity. He didn't want it.

What he desired he would never regain. Unless the power to reanimate the dead was bestowed upon him.

One day he decided to give up on focusing in class and climbed to the roof area standing on the platform looking out over the city. All of those people down there were minding their own business. Walking aimlessly ignorant of his pain. He didn't really matter. Surely if he jumped now all of this pain would subside…

"Ulquiorra!" He leaned away from the railing of the edge where he had perched his arms and faced the familiar voice.

"Arisawa." He noted.

"What are you doing up here?" he didn't reply but merely looked ahead thinking of how alone he was now that Ayaka was gone. Never again would he see her smiling face and hear her beautiful voice as she played her violin with the utmost expertise.

He felt a small hand land on his shoulder. He stiffened at the touch but it was shortly thereafter retracted. He saw out of his peripheral that Arisawa had taken the void space beside him and mirrored his actions by folding her arms under her chin and resting them atop the railing gazing out over the view from the school.

"I'll be here. Until you're ready to go back down."

They stayed there until long past the end of the school day in complete silence. But the silence wasn't quite so loud now that someone was there beside him. She didn't need to use any words her presence was enough to assure him he didn't need to weather this alone.

***END OF FLASHBACK***

Ulquiorra sighed as he removed his scrubs after a long grueling day of tending patients. He changed into his normal clothes, a suit and headed for the convenience store. His recollection of times with Arisawa had reminded him of being there for the people you cared for. He was undoubtedly concerned for the woman as much as it pained him. He had been so reflective on his past that he was beginning to wonder if she was okay being alone in her apartment. He didn't want her to think she had no one. He was there for her. Surely she knew that, but even still he wanted to reaffirm her well-being.

He picked up a bagful of different ice-cream flavors not sure which one Orihime would prefer. With bag in hand he reached out a hand and knocked on her door waiting for a reply. It took a while and he was about to leave when he heard the moan from the inside.

"The doors open."

He turned the knob entering the apartment and this time properly being able to take in his surroundings. The expanse was filled with the color pink. Pink rugs, curtains, hand towels, etc.

"W-Who is it?" he walked towards the couch where sat Orihime clad in a sweatshirt and shorts with blankets laid over her. She took in his appearance and blushed considerably.

"Forgive me Ulquiorra! I'm not feeling too good after last night." He could imagine.

"All is well." He pulled out a stick of ice cream labeled blueberry blast and showed it to her. She smiled and took the sweet.

"You didn't have to do that." He turned away from her appreciative expression.

"I will leave the rest in your fridge." She consented and sat upright unpackaging the ice cream in her hand. He walked towards the door not waiting to disturb her any further when he heard her ask him to stop.

He turned to her taking in her disheveled appearance yet still feeling his breath leave him.

"Thank you for everything last night Ulquiorra-kun." He turned the knob once again.

"You are welcome, Orihime."


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: Chapter 12 here we go! Also a brief introduction of Uryuu Ishida! Enjoy!**

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**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any other copyrighted material.**

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Lie To Me Chpt.12

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Rangiku sighed seeing her breath disperse in the chilly air of the winter. She was supposed to meet Orihime in five minutes. But she couldn't. Surely her friend would understand that. She felt as if her dark jeans had turned to superglue because she couldn't make her legs move an inch. The muscles were frozen in place. Her light blue eyes were fixed on the hospital in front of her.

Though it was cold, the air was not what chilled her.

It was the memory of that man still lurking in the depths of her mind. His spindly fingers touching her undeveloped body in places he wasn't supposed to as she could do nothing under his voracious scrutiny save for cry. Waiting until he determined the 'check-up' over and allowing her to run shivering into the arms of her mom dismissing her puffy eyes as 'irritation from the light'.

The sight of his glaring white lab coat was burned into her memory and his wicked smile haunted her dreams. That slick brown hair made her shiver in disgust.

No one had believed her when she'd told them what the 'bad doctor' was doing to her, no one except for Gin. She'd confessed everything to him in that vulnerable state as a mere seven-year old, because he had been her closest friend since they were born. He had held her and stayed by her side trying to convince her parents to believe in her.

She couldn't make since after that of why he had become increasingly distant from her in middle school and even more so in high school. Ten years later as a 17 year old, when she'd finally worked up the courage to confront him about his absence all he'd told her whilst cupping her cheeks in his strong hands and pulling her close was:

"_So you won't have to cry anymore Ran-chan."_

His soft-spoken words still puzzled her even now that they were a couple of sorts. Living together when he was home, yet that distance was still there. That ungainable ground between them.

Needless to say she didn't have good experiences with hospitals.

She closed her eyes and forced herself to take rigid slow steps towards the entrance, fear gripping her with every inch.

She wished that Gin was there, to hold her hand and distract her with all of his silly nonsense.

She thought of Orihime. About her resilient perseverant nature and her silent strength she carried with her through every tough situation.

She would be alright.

That bastard was behind bars. At least to her current knowledge he was supposed to be. He couldn't touch her now.

She remembered the devastated look on her mother and fathers faces as they received word from their new physician that Doctor Aizen was arrested after several allegations of child molestation that had been filed against him.

She remembered their disappointment in her for 'letting it happen'. That bleak, cold disdain in their down-turned faces as they stared at her from above as though she wasn't their daughter. They shunned her, telling her she was never to speak of this to anyone or else she would bring shame onto their family. Scaring her into silence.

She looked straight forward keeping her gaze focused on the handle of the door in front of her. She imagined that Gin was beside her, calling her 'Darlin' and felt more at ease. She'd made it through the front door at last. She'd made it inside. She was fine.

"Hey! Rangiku-san!" I shouted spotting the blonde across the courtyard. She turned her head in obvious awe of the flowery utopia we were in. Whoever this Aizen was who donated to build the facilities definitely spared no expense in decoration.

"Hime what is this place? It looks like a greenhouse!" Rangiku looked so pretty. She was wearing dark almost black jeans with a nearly see through tank top covered by another white tank that exposed her covered stomach but tied securely over her bosom. To bring the look together she had a silver bangle and high knee boots.

"I know isn't it great? The perfect place for lunch!" Rangiku nodded smiling however she seemed a little apprehensive for some odd reason. We settled on a bench by the fountain situated in the center of the courtyard. Its gleaming water was calming as were the fragrant scent of the lilies planted around it.

"So how are things with Gin?" I asked apprehensively. Rangiku offered a small smile as if she was wishful about something.

"He said it'd be another two weeks." I nodded not wanting to press the matter any further for fear that it would ruin her good spirits.

"So how are you? Still hung up on the carrot-top?" her blunt question riled a laugh from me. I wasn't sure why something that had ended so terribly seemed so humorous but it was. It seemed like a distant past now. I felt better, and more confident than I think I ever had when I had been with Ichigo towards the end. I had lured myself into a false sense of security with him, giving into my foolish heart and believing some boy would take care of me forever and ever. That was wishful thinking.

I didn't think following your heart was a bad thing but sometimes you need to think and remember that people are always changing and running and whatever else. So it's best to look out for yourself and remember you don't need someone else to be happy even though another person can intensify this crazy wonderful euphoric ride of life.

"No not anymore I don't think." I said calmly feeling a slight breeze flow through my hair. Rangiku nearly spit out her food but managed to gain her bearings and force it down.

"That's something I never thought I'd hear you say." She was staring at me like I was a completely different person. Well, maybe I was.

"Hey Hime." I met her intense stare blushing under the harsh scrutiny I was receiving.

"Yeah?" she leaned closer to me not breaking her eye contact.

"Do you have a guy?" I felt like my head exploded. My heart seized up and my hands went cold.

"N-No, no, no! I don't!" she was unrelenting even though I was even using my hands to get the point across!

"Liar." I backed away covering my cheeks while Rangiku laughed heartily munching on her sandwich.

"You know I'll probably figure out who he is before you do." I snorted taking a bite out of a strawberry.

"You always do."

* * *

"There." I sighed clicking the top of my pen with my thumb and placing it in my bright blue scrubs chest pocket. I picked up the crisp piece of paper I had just filled out. It was a notice requesting fewer hours and less shifts.

I decided that working at the hospital, while it had its benefits and life lessons alike, I needed a job that was a little less demanding to fill the void of the lost hours at the Aizen Center for Women &amp; Children. I had been working in medicine since high school. And I didn't come out of high school with near perfect scores just to waste it bending over backwards at a high maintenance job 40-50 hours a week.

Ichigo had always said that I didn't need to go to college because he was going to be the one to provide for us. He had a complex about it almost, saying things like that it was a man's job and yata yata.

Maybe I would go now. It would be the most ideal. If I was going to be on my own I would be better off at a business firm than a hospital as a low level nurse. And I could be working up on a degree like Ulquiorra.

I wondered as I walked up the quiet stairs with each step echoing my footfall, what Ulquiorra would say if I told him my plans. Would he reject the notion? Or would he support my decision?

I pictured his stoic face mumbling something along the lines of 'You should pursue whatever makes you happiest Ms. Inoue.' I giggled. That was probably exactly what he would say.

I hugged the paper to my chest a little tighter. Ulquiorra was so charming now wasn't he? With his elegant words and long black hair and those eyes, oh those eyes. Was it bad that I'd started secretly referring to him as 'prince' in my head? I mean he was kinda.

He was unfairly smart too. After high school and after attending Japan's most prestigious medical science university, Ulquiorra had managed to graduate in a mere two years. If that wasn't impossible enough he had been admitted to med school and shined so much above the rest that he had earned his rank as an attending and his name as the best neurosurgeon in the country. He was pretty dreamy I guess. I shook my head trying to dissipate the blush forming on my cheeks as I knocked on the door to Szayel's office. What are you thinking you idiot! I screamed at myself internally.

When no one answered my knock I carefully twisted the knob and decided to leave it on his desk when I found a man in the vacant room staring out the window. The office had a very ominous air that was screaming caution at me. It sent my hair on end.

"Oh, I'm so sorry." I said retreating back outside the door.

"Wait." I did as the voice commanded me and froze in place.

"Come here." I silently made my way toward the man who still had his back to me and heard the door click shut behind me.

The man turned around to face me and I felt strange. It was an uncomfortable feeling. Like he'd wronged me in some way, somehow, yet his familiar face escaped my memory.

His mousy brown hair was messy falling in curly waves over his forehead. He had black framed glasses that provided a see through buffer between his all-knowing light hazel eyes and my terrified gray ones. He was tall and possessed a domineering presence that made me want to crawl under a desk and hide. I wanted out of this room as soon as possible.

"What is your name, girl?" I swallowed nervously.

"O-Orihime Inoue." He smiled.

"Ah, The Orihime I've been hearing about. Is it true that you're close to Doctor Schiffer?" I narrowed my gaze and forced a smile. Why did this man need to know anything so personal?

"Yes, we're good friends." He nodded seeming oddly pleased by my discomfort.

"What's this?" he gestured to the paper in my hands.

"O-Oh nothing just a request for Szayel-san!" he nodded and stalked away his white lab coat flowing ever so slightly from behind him.

"Tell Doctor Schiffer I said hello." The mysterious man vanished behind the door as I called out for him to stop, realizing I didn't know his name. I sighed shivering off the chills that he'd given me and moved to place my notice on Szayel's desk but I felt my foot scrape over something on the carpet.

"What?..." I bent down seeing that it looked like an I.D. card. It belonged to the same man that had disappeared before telling me his name. Aizen Sosuke. I clasped my hands over my mouth placing the card along with my notice on the desk.

I had just spoken with the CEO of the hospital.

* * *

Rangiku stared at the neat row of cradles lining the room in the nursery ward. She knew that she shouldn't have ventured this way and should have just made a bee line home but she couldn't help herself. The precious little bundles were like crack. And she was addicted.

She placed her slender fingers on the glass separating herself from the infants on the other side remembering her own. That sweet child that had been taken from her after only seconds after coming into the world. Asahi Ichimaru-Matsumoto. She remembered the innocent plump lips turned blue and the pasty gray colored skin his miniscule complexion. His perfectly formed little feet and tiny clenched fingers. Those lungs that she'd formed inside her that would never take a breath and that heart inside his chest that would never beat.

But these babies were alive and well. Breathing properly and hearts thumping strongly. She wanted to hold each and every one of them, to cradle them gently in her arms. But more than that she wanted a child to call her own. She couldn't help but be a little jealous of Neliel. She didn't get just one but two babies.

Why couldn't her body accept them? Why had it failed in the one purpose it was built for? She hadn't told her friends about the miscarriages that followed the stillborn. Gin knew. And Gin was secretly just as devastated yet he said nothing. They said nothing to each other about them. He would just rock her in her bloody catatonic state until she was able to form words. Until the tears stopped, and then he was off again.

Maybe it was her failure as a woman that drove him away. Or maybe it was that he had grown tired of her.

Rangiku pushed herself away from the glass, her strawberry-twizzled hair swaying behind her as she turned to leave, feeling the intense need for alcohol. Yet she was again stopped from her escape this time by an old acquaintance.

"Ishida?" she questioned looking over the man in navy scrubs standing before her.

He looked almost identical to his high school self yet there were minor differences.

He was still only a hair taller than herself and wore glasses framing his dark blue calculating eyes. His hair was still pin straight but pushed more to the side than split down the middle. He was more filled out, showing he was no longer a boy but a man.

"Good afternoon, Matsumoto-san."

* * *

After a long and strange day at the hospital Orihime and Ulquiorra were finally walking home. The woman was not acting 100 percent normal though. Normally she would talk his ear off about her day and how it went and with whom she'd spoken. But she was silent, her brow furrowed and her lip in between her teeth.

"Is something troubling you Ms. Inoue?" she snapped out of her intense concentration and looked to Ulquiorra her cheeks turning scarlet.

"Um, nothing really." He nodded continuing to scan the area around them. Two leering stares of high school aged boys caught his attention. They were obviously ogling at the woman's assets their heads tilting up and down. He fought the urge to snap their shameless necks and instead drew closer to Orihime gripping her arm and pulling her near him glaring at the boys as they passed earning short grumbles upon their assuming she wasn't alone and eventually they sauntered away. The woman was lucky he was their to interject even though she probably hadn't noticed the extra attention she had been receiving. She was really too good in heart for her own safety

"U-Ulquiorra-kun?" he looked down at a stuttering Orihime and realized he was still gripping her bicep rather tightly and immediately released her.

"Forgive me." She bobbed her head down looking at the sidewalk as their feet continued to stride in synch. He couldn't tell whether the pink in her cheeks was from the chilly evening air or something else. He decided not to let his imagine run wild and they happened upon their shared complex stopping only to allow her to greet the receptionist Mashiro whom he'd noticed Orihime had grown quite fond of.

"Any mail today Mashiro-chan?" she chirped her strange flush completely dissipated.

"Actually yes!" the green-haired woman pulled out a small envelope inscribed Hime. Orihime ripped it open like a child on Christmas day and read the contents through and through. She lowered her hand and shifted her eyes to him tears brimming her silver orbs.

"Tatsuki-chan is coming back." She smiled embraced an elated Mashiro screaming in happiness.

So the raven-haired woman was returning from America? He thought, allowing himself a small smile indication of his feelings on the matter. There would be much to catch up on and hopefully, he looked to the jubilant woman bouncing up and down, much to tell.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Hello hello! Thank you for your thoughts! One particular review intrigued me a bit and I wanted to state that the history concerning Aizen and how he came to be head of the hospital/got away with murder/allegations of child abuse will be revealed. However, that information will not be released until much later :-) If you have suspicions or predictions about how these things happened feel free to leave them below! Also I wrote a one-shot! Check it out if you want! Anyways here's Chapter 13. Enjoy!**

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**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any other copy-righted material.**

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Lie To Me Chpt. 13

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Ulquiorra wasn't quite sure why or how this had come to be, yet, somehow the woman had tricked him into helping her straighten her apartment in preparation for Arisawa's return. He had been tasked with hanging a large brightly colored sign on the structure above the doorway so it could be clearly seen when one walked in. He couldn't say he hated helping Orihime but cleaning definitely wasn't his definition of fun. In fact if it had been his choice of what they would be doing today he would have taken her out to the park and watched as she fervently asked for him to look at things whilst the new sakura petals that were coming into bloom surrounded her. 'Look Ulquiorra, isn't that squirrel cute?'

He shook his head nearly losing his balance on the wobbly chair he was standing on. The woman was rubbing off on him, and now he too was having nonsensical imaginations all the time.

"There!" He turned to see a very determined Orihime staring at a pink puddle of goo. He assumed the colorful mix was batter. She grabbed the mixing bowl and dumped the liquid into a rectangular pan and slid it into the oven. She had flour powdered in various places all over her body and yellow apron was tied snuggly around her small waist bearing the signs of trauma from what he assumed was her many attempts at baking over the years.

He returned to the task at hand and finally managed to pin the annoying sign to the wall. He jumped off the chair and walked toward the woman.

"What else needs to be done?" he asked.

Ulquiorra's question brought me out of my intense focus on whipping the blue frosting before me. I looked to his inquisitive face in confusion not having heard his question the first time.

"What?" He sighed.

"Do you have any other tasks for me?" I could tell he must've been a little frustrated about something but I wasn't really sure what. Maybe he was just as nervous as she was that Tatsuki was coming in less than an hour. No, probably not. Ulquiorra wasn't really one to get nervous.

"Um do you think you could help me with this frosting? It's pretty hard to whip." I took my hand of the handle of my whisk and brushed a stray hair out of my face. Ulquiorra's eyes were focused not on my eyes but on my face. Or maybe something on my face?

"What's wrong?" I asked. His brow scrunched together and he took a step toward me, his eyes not leaving that particular spot.

"Hold still for a moment." He cupped my cheek gingerly. His thumb running across some frosting left by my hand a few times. I felt heat creep into my cheeks at his delicate touch. He was so close to me. All it would take was for me to stand on my tiptoes and we would be…

Once he had successfully removed all traces of the frosting left on Orihime's cheek he took a step away from her. He noticed the severe traces of agitation inflaming her cheeks and her frozen posture but he dismissed it believing it was yet another of her daydreams and grabbed the frost covered handle of the whisk and set to stirring the cream. After a few minutes had passed, the woman had still neglected to move and he heard the incessant beep of a timer going off.

"Ms. Inoue the cake will burn if you do not tend to it." She clapped her hands together loudly.

"R-Right." She said and turned to shut of the infernal noise-making alarm.

She was finally back to her normal antics so he breathed in relief that she hadn't had a stroke of sorts in his dismissal.

"Hey Ulquiorra?" she questioned.

"Yes, Ms. Inoue?" He answered putting the finishing whips into the blue topping. He looked up as he finished and noticed she was fidgeting with her fingers like she was embarrassed about something. He cursed himself for finding her little charade cute.

"Thank you." She finally said raising her head to look him in the eye. Her words brought up several scenarios in his head where she had said the very same words. Thanking him over and over for things he didn't quite understand himself. Why was she so appreciative of him and his actions?

"What for?" he asked her in sincerity, moving to stand in front of her. Looking down into her sparkling gray orbs.

"I don't know just…thank you." She said again, a soft smile gracing her mouth. He couldn't seem to break the spell those tantalizing lips had put on him and began to lean in closer to her. Closing the distance between them. He could feel the pulse in his ears go erratic as he came ever nearer…

_Knock, knock, knock!_

The sound of the door broke his trance and immediately he pulled away from her. She too snapped out of their delusions and shrieked.

"T-Tatsuki-chan's here! And oh crap the cake!" She looked frantically from the cake to him to the door and decided on the door. She ran to answer it just as a second rap of knuckles against wood ensued.

"Tatsuki!" she cried drawing her friend into a tight embrace. Giggling all the while.

* * *

I couldn't remember how long it had been since I'd seen my friend until I felt it the moment I hugged her. I am always so emotional so naturally her appearance brought tears to the brim of my eyes.

I forgot about everything except how much I missed Tatsuki.

After we finally broke away from each other I couldn't believe how…mature she looked.

Her hair was still the same spiky raven look it had always been. I don't think that was ever going to change. She was a lot tanner. I heard America was pretty big on tanning so that wasn't a surprise. She had on tight black pants and nude flats with a matching slim-fit nude blazer. Underneath the jacket what a simple white tank. She looked so fierce that it gave me chills. She was still the same, rough and tough, take on the world, best friend I had grown up with.

"Long time no see Hime." She said smirking her hands tucked into her pockets.

"I know, oh Tatsuki-chan I have so much to tell you! But um I tried to make-"

"She **made** this cake for your homecoming." Ulquiorra interrupted me by bringing out a perfectly frosted and decorated cake. I clasped a hand over my chest and mouthed 'thank you' to him as he set the masterpiece on the table.

"Ulquiorra!" Tatsuki cried punching him in the gut playfully even though I'm sure it caught him off-guard because his eyes nearly bugged out of his skull as he lurched over. Tatsuki obliviously turned back to me.

"So what's the plan?" she asked. After the recovering Ulquiorra limped towards the doorway.

"I will leave you two, to it then." He said reaching toward the door handle.

"You don't have to, if you don't want to." I said feeling uncharacteristically shy all of a sudden.

"I assure you it is alright Ms. Inoue." He offered a small smile and then took off out the door as I watched after him.

"Geez, didn't know you two were so close now." She bluntly stated drawing me out of my sudden timidity, an eyebrow raised in speculation.

"We're just friends." I said innocently, not really sure why I was thinking back to just before Tatsuki had arrived and wishing she'd been a little later getting there.

"Sure." She said, still not convinced. She began to shrug off her jacket and hung it above where her shoes were at the front door.

"Well, I think it's time you and me got a little caught up." She said it seriously, in the same maternal tone she got when there was some issue, I had a feeling I knew where this conversation was headed towards anyway.

About six months ago I'd sent Tatsuki a letter telling her all that had transpired in my marriage. And I was pretty certain that she had been spurred on to make a surprise visit due to this news.

"Can I have a drink first?" I laughed bitterly, Tatsuki's face holding an empathetic smile.

"Make it two." She said strolling towards the table. I brought the two glasses filled with alcohol over to where she was and joined her. I knew Ichigo was sort of a sore subject for her in this case. They'd grown up together since they were little.

"So are you two just separated?" she began uncomfortably. I shook my head the smile long gone from my face. I looked out the glass doors leading to the terrace. Even from here I could see the twinkling lights of taxi's rushing through the streets.

"I filed but he still hasn't signed the paperwork. To be honest I'm not really sure where he is at the moment." She nodded taking a long sip of her glass.

"Rukia hasn't said anything to you either?" I rested my chin on the palm of my hand.

"What's there to say?" I responded rhetorically.

"I've got one more question." I looked at her serious expression.

"What?" I asked.

"When do I get to kick his ass?" I busted out laughing and she joined in with me until wine was spewing from our noses because we were so hysterical.

"But, seriously Orihime, are you okay?" I wiped the stray tears from my eyes still giggling.

"I think I'll be just fine, Tatsuki-chan." She was always worrying about me. It reminded me of someone else who always seemed to look out for my best interest…

Ugh Orihime! Get your head out of the freaking clouds!

"Is everything alright Orihime?" Tatsuki asked pointing out my red complexion.

"Huh? Oh yeah I'm great hehe…he." She slapped a hand onto my forehead with a little more than necessary force.

"Warm." I batted her hand away.

"R-Really it's nothing!" Tatsuki smirked but two could play at this game.

"So enough about my love life what about yours?" I smiled deviously. She immediately froze in place her face lighting up though she tried to maintain a stoic façade.

"C'mon Tatsuki-chan, what's his name?" she turned her head away defiantly.

"Pssh I don't know what you're talking about." I stooped to the oldest trick in the book to get her to talk. I jumped onto her knocking her to the floor and tickled her ruthlessly.

"AH..AHAHA H-Hime! S-Stop it!" I moved my fingers under her arms seeing tears form at the corners of her eyes from the torturous feeling.

"You know the rules Tatsuki-chan! Confess!" She struggled to keep from breaking down in maniacal pained laughter. Furiously shaking her head from side to side.

"C-Chad!" I released her and she struggled for breath wiping the corners of her eyes.

"His name is Chad." She admitted.

"Chad! What does he look like? Is he cute? Is he a soccer player?" A small smile crept onto her face and she looked towards her restless fingers gathered at her lap.

"He's very quiet." She started simply. Drawing my interest even further. I had always believed Tatsuki needed someone who could keep up with her competitive nature yet also have a soft side.

"He's got dark brown hair that covers his eyes most of the time and really strong arms and when he does speak it's deep but gentle at the same time." I felt a sudden pang of jealousy towards Tatsuki. It was something I wasn't used to. The way her face seemed to be glowing and her eyes holding a deeper meaning that was beyond me. Tatsuki was in love. And I felt envious that I couldn't have that same cherishing expression on my face right now.

"I-I shouldn't have said all of that." She deadpanned slapping her cheeks.

"When will I get to meet him? He sounds wonderful." I said softly feeling joyful for my friend but also a little bit sad. Why did I feel so…useless?

"Well he is a pro-wrestler so if he actually got it right this time he should be flying in here in a few days for a match." She chimed along scowling at her phone whilst scrolling through messages on her phone that I assumed were from Chad.

"Sounds like a date!"

* * *

Ichigo Kurosaki stood atop a skyscraper looking out over southern India staring at the dawn of daybreak. He had been through many restless nights before in his life but currently he felt conflicted. Working through his anger and emotion over the past couple weeks had been therapeutic and cleared his head significantly. He had even began to see a therapist in an attempt to get better. He closed his eyes for a moment looking out over the horizon and beginning to see scarlet dye the atmosphere as the blazing sun began to creep from out of the shadows. If there was one emotion he couldn't seem to resolve it was guilt. Guilt for what he'd done and shame for what he'd put several people through.

Orihime most of all was a victim of his psychological problems, which were no excuse.

He'd lied to her, pretended to be utterly in love with her, even cheated on her, all without so much as a second thought. But, he was sorry.

It didn't make it right that he'd stomped along her heart which he knew was a very unstable thing. She wasn't the bubbly, air-headed girl she seemed to be. Her emotions ran as deep as the blood in her veins. She was much more secretive than most people would know. He was sure she hated him and he didn't want that. Having Orihime hate you was kind of like having a beggar refuse your money. It's the last thing you'd expect or want.

He wanted to apologize to her desperately. He also wanted to thank Ulquiorra for the wake-up call that left him rubbing his tender cheek for a week. He figured that if he could apologize to her sincerely without any manipulative reason behind it maybe she could heal even if only in the slightest. He didn't care if she forgave him but he wanted her to see his act of repentance and know she wasn't the toy he'd treated her as.

Accompanying the heavy guilt was his immense disgust. He wished he could turn into a snake and shed off his skin because he couldn't even stand the thought of what he'd done in it.

Rukia was not his personal plaything to toss around either. And in all honesty she was even more messed up and scathed than Orihime. She'd had waged through wars he couldn't imagine in his little pampered life. Yet he'd used her, and left her alone to deal with her own abused self.

He felt abominable and repulsive in this dirty skin that couldn't be cleaned through rubbing it raw in the shower.

He wanted to make things right.

It was this thought and desire in particular that had wrestled him from his sleep and brought him to the roof of this building to stare at the sunrise.

He felt the impulse to catch the next flight home and rush to Rukia's side scooping her tiny frame into his arms and whispering to her he was sorry while planting delicate kisses across her body but he couldn't do that. No, Rukia deserved a proper courtship for once in her life. She shouldn't have been his little scandal on the side in the first place. He knew that she'd willingly give him anything he wanted but he didn't want that. He wanted her to know what it felt like to be given things instead of feeling the effects of being taken away by other men. When it came to her and Renji there was a lot of confusion he couldn't decipher but he knew that Renji did not possess the vital thing to make a relationship work. Her heart. That was something she had bestowed on him that he wasn't sure how to care for.

But he was ready to try.

He was ready to return, even though he knew that it might mean going through his own unhappiness in exchange for some light in the lives of those he'd hurt.

* * *

The night had grown darker and the moon was shining in full view as Ulquiorra exited the library close to his home. He had a quite a few books to read up on about the nature of mitotic cells. Working up to PhD was a tiring process but he was determined to climb the ladder of success in order to fulfill the wishes of his late mother.

She had always lamented to him that she had not gone to college and dropped out of high school. So he became obsessed with making perfect scores and furthering his intellectual abilities. He liked to believe that she would be proud of him and wrap him into her arms again like when he was a child telling him how incredible he was in her eyes.

As he passed a vacant alleyway he heard a faint whimper break into the casual chatter of the night. He paused in the surge of people and turned his head toward the unusual sound.

Another whine emitted from a shadow in one of the corners where his eyes could not see. It was fainter this time and shorter in length. He made his way through the crowd and into the dank dirty alley with graffiti sprayed on the bricks and the stench of urine overcoming his senses, back to the corner.

As he came closer he made out two paws with short choppy claws on the ends. Two glowing orbs stared back at him as he crouched beside the injured creature. At first it was apprehensive and flinched at his touch but it grew weaker as Ulquiorra noticed the long vertical slit along its underbelly. It nudged its snout into the dim light of moon and he recognized the creature was in fact a dog. He shrugged off his jacket feeling the need to care for the animal. Gingerly wrapped the canine into it picking it up as he journeyed home at a short quick pace.

It whined again going limp against him as he made it to the elevator. He took in the small beings profile noticing the scraggly fur and the grotesque looking of skin on bones clinging tightly to its frame. Though it was starved and in desperate need of a good haircut he could tell that it wasn't fully grown it was just a mere puppy. He frowned upon thinking someone had abandoned this infant creature on the roadside and allowed it to be harmed.

He finally made it into his apartment and laid the puppy on his dining table. He retrieved some of the supplies he had from the hospital from under his sink and set it beside the dog. He assessed the wound and could tell it wasn't infected and had definitely been inflicted recently yet there was some gravel and dirt coating the slit that worried him. He may have been a brilliant surgeon but he was no veterinarian. He took the rubbing alcohol he had and cleaned the wound wincing with every cry the dog made feeling like he was a heartless monster for causing it to suffer. It grew so numb eventually though that it rested its small head on the side of the table its thin ears flopping over its scalp. He sighed and threaded a needle with sutures and began to stitching the exposed stomach. The dog flinched but gave no other indication of pain. He took in the small canine's appearance at last. It had a sleek black coat that was dusted in dirt dulling its shine. And intriguingly enough it possessed jade green eyes that were incredibly familiar to him. He pitied the animal as it fought for every breath like it was its last. He made a mental note to call an animal care shelter in the morning to get a prognosis on how to help it. But for now all he could do was scoop the tiny thing into his arms and set it atop a bed of soft, plush blankets and stroke its head gently. While it fought.

He felt oddly attached to the animal even though he had only been in its presence for a miniscule amount of time. He wanted to name it, and give it some sort of signification.

Murcielago.

That would be her name. It fit her in its connotation of the color black just like her fur. After settling on her new name he decided that he would take this creature under his wing. Murcielago was going to live that he would be sure of.


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: I am so happy you guys like Murcielago! She's adorable isn't she? :-) Thankful for all of your feedback on the last chapter but prepare to break out the tissues for this one. It's going to be really sad. I have planned to do this from the start though so leave all your tears, sadness, and feels below by clicking that little review button. Forgive me, I love you guys! Enjoy!**

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**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any other copyrighted material.**

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Lie To Me Chpt. 14

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Ulquiorra found himself pensively staring at the wall awaiting Ms. Inoue's arrival, who was coming under the pretense that he was ill. He hadn't told her about the black-haired creature currently gnawing on his pant leg. He had taken two sick days in a row just to get Murcielago the care she needed. She'd perked up quite a bit it seemed in that short amount of time. The veterinarian had given him good news. He had said that the dog had been recovering so well because of his handiwork stitching her wounds. He was pleased to say the least that in this circumstance his skills had transferred from people to animals so seamlessly.

Three quick rasps on the door brought him from his staring competition with his pet. He rose and looked back at the puppy who had rolled over with its tongue lolling from the side of its snout.

"Let's hope she is not angry for both of our sakes." He whispered and ominously opened the door.

"Ulquiorra-kun!" the red-haired woman shouted backing him against the wall of the apartment and slapping a hand against his pale forehead, staring intently into his bewildered eyes. She tilted her head to the side with a confused look across her features.

"Why aren't you hot?" she questioned suspiciously.

"_Bark!" _

Orihime turned toward the chirp and lowered her arms that were weighed down by grocery bags, which he was sure were full of medicine, taking in the sight before her. She immediately dropped her bags and ran to the excitable canine dropping to her knees to rub Murcielago's soft head.

"Oh my goodness aren't you a cute little fur ball! Yes you are, yes you are!" she cooed using the voice that all of humanity seemed to take on when they saw any kind of adorable being.

The woman began laughing when the puppy started licking her cheeks in show of its like for her. He was relieved that the dog approved, had it not, he wasn't quite sure what he would have done.

"You are not angry?" he interjected as the woman continued to gush over the animal lovingly. She stopped and turned towards him the puppy gnawing on her fingers harmlessly.

"Why would I be mad?" she asked. He strode towards her location his hands in his pockets.

"Because I was not being truthful to you, about my health." He replied settling on his knees beside her and ruffling the fur on the whimpering beasts back, looking at her in complete seriousness.

"Ulquiorra you don't have to tell me everything you know." She smiled and copied his action in petting the dog until suddenly her hand brushed against his and the both froze in motion. They both looked into each other's eyes shyly as if they had just met and then quickly looked away. Slowly Ulquiorra pulled his hand away his gaze not wavering.

He could not take it any longer. He wanted her to know, to know of his desire to be by her side every day. For her to realize his intense craving for her lips, and the beat of his throbbing chest whenever she came near.

"_Orihime,_" he started softly.

"There's something I need to tell you."

* * *

I could feel my heart throbbing, like it was trying to claw its way from my chest and out of my throat. I was so anxious, but why? Why was the look in his eyes sending me into such a state of unrest? And why was I hanging onto his every last word in anticipation for what he said next?

"I-"his sentence was cut short by the sharp cry of my cellphone. I blinked realizing he was politely waiting for me to answer it. I sighed and looked at the screen seeing a picture of me and Nel from high school days clad in our old uniforms hugging each other cheerfully appear on the buzzing screen.

I unlocked the phone pressing it to my ear and holding it away when several words beyond my comprehension shrilly spoken in French blared from the speaker.

"Aide! Aide Orihime! Il est mauvais ... oh mon dieu il est tellement mauvais ..." I could tell it was Nel, and I could tell she was crying.

"Nel. Nel! Slow down I don't know what you're saying!" She kept gasping loudly and speaking bilingually to other people that were not me. She only reverted to speaking French when thing were really bad…really really bad. No one hardly even knew she knew the French language because she had been raised in Japan since she was a child.

"G-Grimmjow…he's hurt…oh God Orihime…oh God." I tried to piece together what she was frantically saying with the noises I heard in the background.

"P-protect me…he tried to protect me…a hole….g-gunshot."

By this point Ulquiorra was looked extremely confused and worried he was craning his head to the side and raising his hands in question.

"What happened, what's wrong? Nel?" She was still shuddering and some kind of doors had been shut from what I could hear.

"H-Hospital, c-come to the hospital and bring Ulquiorra." The line went dead and I lowered my phone a thousand different scenario's running through my mind. What had he tried to protect her from?

"Ulquiorra we need to go." I said grabbing his wrist and standing up, my hand shaking around his.

"Ms. Inoue what's going on?" he asked stopping me.

"Grimmjow, something happened to Grimmjow."

* * *

When we arrived at the hospital we could hear the ambulance screeching to a halt behind us.

"Stay out of the way." Ulquiorra whispered to me sternly but softly. He walked towards the paramedics opening the door in his dark blue scrubs, tying his matching scrub cap tightly around his forehead.

"What happened here?" he asked as the feet of Grimmjow appeared at the front of the caravan.

"26 year-old male, with a gunshot wound to the abdomen. In critical condition." The medic said in a rehearsed mechanical voice. When they had finally rolled the gurney onto the pavement I got full view of Grimmjow. He was breathing, thank God, and he was even talking though it was strained.

"You understand any of that Gibberish *cough* man?" His good-humored remark was interrupted by a series of coughs and hacks into the side of his shoulder, blood clearly streaking the white bedsheets.

There was a blanket covering his bare torso too, a vast red stain in the middle.

"G-Grimmjow! Be careful with him!" I heard Nel snap at the paramedics as she rushed to his side gripping his hand tightly in hers, mascara staining her cheeks.

"It's gonna be okay Nel, don't cry d-dammnit." He had another fit as Ulquiorra pried her away from him holding the pregnant woman at bay as she fought against his grip.

"Neliel stay with Orihime, I'll handle it I promise." He said in an attempt to calm the distressed wife down. She was still breathing heavily and turned to me with wild eyes running into my arms as I lead her inside away from the cold exterior. We walked with my arms around her to the waiting room where she balled into my shoulder as she tried to get a grip.

"We were just walking Orihime, and then these men came and tried to hurt me, a-and the babies…they had a gun…"she broke into heaving sobs.

"When they tried to grab me Grimmjow stopped him but the man…s-shot shot, s-shot…" I rubbed her shoulders feeling the panic rolling in waves off of her as we sat in the crowded room.

"Shhhh." I said as she tried to calm down.

"Please…" she began desperately.

"…please go be with my husband." I couldn't refuse the desperation in her eyes as she gripped my shirt like it was a lifeline.

"I will." I nodded standing and rushing to the trauma center.

When I got there, there were several people gathered around Grimmjow's bed. Someone was dripping morphine into his IV, someone was blotting the blood, and Ulquiorra was assessing the damage.

I pushed into sight and finally caught full view of the extent of his injuries.

A massive gaping hole was where his stomach and intestines should've been. His face was pale though I could see he was trying to appear strong. Blood and other tissue was amess inside of him and his blue eyes finally caught ahold of mine.

"What's wrong Princess? Surprised to see me?" he joked before wincing as Ulquiorra prodded something else.

"Be still Grimmjow, don't speak." Ulquiorra scolded, worried look in his normally calculating eyes. Grimmjow chuckled lightly.

"Always a buzzkill ain't ya?" he bit off a scream and moaned muttering 'damn it' over and over until his pain was decreased as Ulquiorra continued checking over him.

"Oh God Grimmjow…" My shock didn't seem to faze him.

"How's Nel? Is she alright?...God damn it Ulquiorra!" He screamed his heart monitor suddenly racing as his eyes rolled to the back of his head, his neck slumping forward.

"The bullet has perforated the bowel, we need to move to Surgery Wing A immediately." Ulquiorra said calmly his eyes filled in hopeful determination and fear.

The nurses and doctors combined forces grabbing the corners of the hospital bed sheets and shifting Grimmjow to a gurney. They moved with extreme care to the elevator with me tagging behind someone shoving a surgical coat into my chest. I took the cover and forced it over my arms looking at Ulquiorra trying to figure out if he would be stable enough to work on his best friend.

"Page Dr. Hirako." he said his green gaze never coming off the counting down numbers on the elevator door.

"Ms. Inoue." I felt my chest pounding in anxiety.

"Y-Yes, Dr. Schiffer?" I scrambled trying to make sense of how things had gone from 0 to 100 in all of 30 minutes.

"I will need your small hands in the operating room." I swallowed nodding.

"I-I'm not qualified though, Dr. Schiffer." He said nothing and looked back to Grimmjow.

"I am out of options currently, Ms. Inoue." I nodded feeling like I'd been stupid not to just agree a hundred percent the first time.

The final beep signaled our arrival at the surgical wing. We stepped out and rushed into the nearest O.R. All of our hearts were racing in unison.

This was a friend. This was a husband. This was a police officer. This was a father. This was a man whose life we held in our hands.

We managed to move him to the cold hard chromic surface of the operating table getting the anesthetists to begin their work as me and Ulquiorra scrubbed in. I looked to my dark-haired superior as his perplexed gaze was focused on the blue-haired man lying on the table with his arms laid out.

"Orihime." His voice was uncharacteristically effusive in fright.

"I don't know if I can do this." I wished I could have reached out and grabbed his shaking hands and reassured him that it was all going to go the way we wanted and hoped. That we would pull off a miracle.

But…

Looking at the evidence objectively we knew the survival rate of an injury like this was less than 5 percent. Even if we managed to close the hole in his stomach we would need a bowel transplant. And even if we had a bowel transplant the leaking fluid sapping into his already exposed wound, could almost surely be infected with staph. It was a heavily one-sided battle against that ever-pressing entity we refer to as death. That looming presence that sticks to hospitals like a moth to a flame.

Even still, I was betting on that 5 percent chance that everything would be okay. I wouldn't have put my faith into any other man than the one standing beside me.

"You have to do this. No matter the outcome, you have to try." I said my voice not faltering and laced in resolve that there was no other human on the planet that had a better shot of fixing this than Ulquiorra Schiffer.

His eyes caught mine briefly and he nodded like he was checking something and then looked back to the table.

"Let's go, Orihime." I walked behind him hopeful that we would pull this off.

Suddenly though his erratic heart rhythm didn't slow Grimmjow came back into consciousness. His eyes looked tired and he was gasping but he still managed a smile.

"Hold up a minute there doc." He whispered to the anesthesiologist. The doctor honored his wish though we needed to work as quickly as possible. I knew he couldn't feel any pain right now but his body was corroding itself away into dead useless tissue.

"What's with the look Princess? Don't look so sad I haven't kicked it yet." I grabbed his feeble hand in my cleanly gloved one. His features again took on a more solemn look as he faced Ulquiorra.

"Okay, go on." He strained to the anesthesiologist. He nodded and proceeded. He turned his neck back and looked into the determined green eyes of his best friend.

"Y-You've gotta fix me man, I can't leave her yet. I can't leave her alone…Nel…I'm sorry…I can't…" His desperate pleas faded into silence as he went under and the nurses strapped his tanned face with a mask that allowed him to breathe his blue eyes closing shut.

"Spreaders." Ulquiorra commanded. He looked at me and took my hands into his plunging them into Grimmjow and placing them over a slippery feeling fleshy organ.

"Don't let these go not even for a moment." He ordered I nodded watching him work fervently to save Grimmjow's life. I didn't really know what was going on or what they were doing but it seemed to be going better than expected because the fifteen or so people in the room stood aside and let Ulquiorra operate alone. Suddenly the machine monitoring heart rhythm, which had quieted down considerably, began beeping again.

"Dammnit, Grimmjow." Ulquiorra muttered. I saw more brown liquid enter the torn area.

"More suction." He ordered.

"Yes sir." Another surgeon replied sticking a tube deeper into the fleshy red-coated region.

Suddenly from somewhere hidden from our eyes something burst and blood began spurting all across our surgical coverings. The metallic scent overcame me and the scene seemed to move in slow motion.

Ulquiorra tried and tried using all sorts of metallic objects to stop it but it just kept coming.

A nurse informed that he was getting into more and more dangerous levels of blood so began the first transfusion, and the second, the third, and more in an effort to keep the red liquid circulating. My hope began dimming with every beep of the monitor. And suddenly it ran out as the line went flat. That bouncing line laying completely still brought tears to my eyes as the surgeons rushed to get a crash cart to restart his quitting heart.

But Grimmjow's heartbeat didn't come back. It stayed still and lifeless. Ulquiorra shoved the paddles away and resumed efforts by himself with his own two hands pressing into Grimmjow's chest forcefully. When people tried to stop him he ignored them pushing their hands away. After another painstakingly heartbreaking thirty minutes I released my hold on Grimmjow, tears escaping my eyes and stood before Ulquiorra.

"Ulquiorra-kun…" I uttered softly. He didn't acknowledge my voice.

I rested a blood smeared latex hand atop of his.

"Ulquiorra-kun…it's time. He's gone." My voice choked on every syllable as his stopped his resuscitating actions and stepped back his eyes taking on a look that was completely foreign to me.

They were cold, lifeless and so full of hate that I thought he was a different person altogether. He didn't look at me with those dull bitter eyes of his.

He removed his mask and his gloves discarding them into a waste container. And looked to the clock.

"Time of death, 6:51 pm." I followed him as he walked out the door his arms and body still covered in blood.

He kept walking straight towards the waiting room filled with people whose eyes became stuck on him and his ghastly appearance. Nel stood and met him halfway her hopeful gaze turning into one of anguish as Ulquiorra shook his head at her. She collapsed into a mess of tears and wailing cries for the man whom her trusted friend had failed to save.

And all I could do was stand and watch as Ulquiorra held her out of obligation, breaking silently yet trying to hold it together for this woman who was now alone.

Suddenly, as if the night hadn't taken enough of a 360, Nel clutched her bloated stomach as water laced with plasmid fluid and amniotic fluid splattered from within her unto the floor.

Ulquiorra paged for an OBGYN immediately his lifeless eyes gained an even more inhuman appearance. I rushed from where I stood to help. Nel clutched my hands wincing and moaning in pain as contractions rolled throughout her body mercilessly.

This couldn't be happening, she couldn't be having her baby now of all times.

"Orihime! Orihime I can't do this…" she sniffled as another wave of unpleasantness passed.

"I can't do this without him ahhh!" She cried out.

"What happened here? Why didn't anyone page me sooner?" I heard a male voice demand behind us.

I recognized him as Uryuu Ishida when he began to assess Nel's state and ordering that she be moved to the labor ward. She fought the urges to scream gallantly as I followed the wheelchair with the pregnant Nel in it to the center and helped hook her up to the ultra-sound device as Uryuu assessed the situation.

"One of the twins is in distress." He said feeling around with the gooey probe. I could see the fuzzy image of the two little fetuses moving slightly.

"Neliel-san we're going to need to perform a C-section. One of the babies is suffocating." She nodded as they whisked her away to another operating room.

"I'm sorry Inoue-san. But we can't take anyone other than family beyond this point." He looked uncertain and apologetic and I was too emotionally exhausted and confused to object. I nodded and he turned to leave his dark raven-colored hair swishing curtly behind him I caught hold of his white coat sleeve with imperative need.

"Ishida-kun…please…" He turned back to me a look of something I didn't understand in his eyes.

"Please don't let her die too…be there for her…" He nodded and turned away from me trailing after the turquoise-haired beauty.

I stood there for a moment reeling in vertigo and trying to put together in my head what had just happened. Grimmjow was dead…Nel was in labor…and Ulquiorra…where was Ulquiorra?

I looked around searching for the familiar collar-length black head of hair but I did not see him.

I realized I hadn't felt his familiar comfort since the waiting room. I retraced our steps and went back into that godforsaken room not being able to see anything but the look on Nel's face as he told her he had failed. It was burned into my memory like a scar. It couldn't just be blinked away. But he was nowhere to be seen.

I gasped knowing with certainty where he would be. I walked even further back to Surgical Wing A. I felt my heart sink as I made way into the scrub room where a large window opened to view of the operating table. There he was sitting alone at a footstool beside Grimmjow's body. The blood had been cleaned for the most part and the body stitched together. The crew had done a beautiful job. The blue sheet that covered his body save for the face which laid naked on the table, still exposed, rivaled the color of his hair.

I walked tentatively into the room hearing the metal door swoosh to the side as my presence was made known.

"Leave me…Orihime, leave me alone." His voice was defeated and his appearance took the form of the boy I used to see sitting alone, all by himself crying when he thought no one could see his pain. I wondered, was he crying now? Did he feel as alone as he did back then right now?

He seemed to shrink in size, his muscles looking fatigued and miniscule his face gaunt as he turned his ferocious gaze onto me. He was like a cornered animal. Those normally gentle emerald eyes held the intensity of a beast.

"Leave!" he roared at me. I felt fear grip ahold of me unexpectedly and turned to run out the door but paused before it opened. Somewhere deep inside me, something pulled me back to him. I found myself looking back and I saw a sight I would never forget. A pale outstretched hand reached out in the silence towards me, and a pitiful stoic face with green eyes screaming in desperation looked to me, single streams of tears running down his cheeks.

I took his hand knowing he hadn't meant to be harsh. I pressed against his back feeling the tense muscles ripple against my chest. I placed my arms around his neck gripping the fabric of his scrubs in one hand and his hand in the other.

His warmth was comforting as we mourned the loss of our friend together in that dimly lit soundless room. We said our goodbyes wordlessly and found comfort within each other through the storm that was just now beginning.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: I'm sorry that you guys are sad :-( But believe me I'm in grief as well. This is my small way of expressing my sadness over the fact that Grimmjow was 'killed' a while ago. But with all the hints being dropped and from what I've read (I'm quite far behind though) hopefully he will reappear! Anyways here is chapter 15! Enjoy!**

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**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any other copyrighted material.**

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Lie To Me Chpt. 15

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As a surgeon, blood had never bothered Ulquiorra. It was a part of everyday life, a routine, a necessity. He had done countless surgeries on numerous people and in some there was very little blood and in some there was much more than necessary.

It had never apprehended him in the slightest.

But upon seeing his closest friend on that cold hard metal table, with a hole in his stomach and a tube in his mouth. He felt utterly sickened.

That familiar scent of iron made him queasy. The sight of its crimson composition made him shiver and the memory of all of Grimmjow's sacred blood smeared across his hands made him scrub them furiously in the shower until they were raw with bruises.

He felt barbaric in that night, playing the role of God in that damned operating room. His tools turned into objects that did nothing to make it better.

And when that monitor had gone flat, his heart too had stopped. Time slowed and all he could see was red. The scene was all too familiar for his comfort.

The dead body splayed in front of him, the blood, the white lab coats surrounding him, and his helplessness to do anything to prevent the inevitable demise of someone he loved.

It was all too much too take in. He became cold and comatose. Feeling as if all the color in his world had vanished in that instant.

And when he told his deceased friend's cherished wife of his shortcomings she collapsed. Had he not had the duty as man to uphold her he too would have collapsed. His chest felt empty…

That heartbeat, where had it gone?

The weight of the situation had caused Neliel to go into labor and the babies graciously were only a week ahead of their due date. Even still the labor only multiplied the insanity beginning to wreak havoc in his mind. Nothing was right. Nothing was real.

It had only been two days since that night but he felt as if he was still sitting in that vacant O.R. crying over the cold pale body of his blue-haired colleague with Ms. Inoue's arms wrapped tightly around his neck.

Ah, yes. Ms. Inoue had been there too hadn't she? Crying with him and holding his hand?

He wasn't sure what caused him to reach for her in that void. To desperately try to grasp her fingers within his and clutch her tiny frame within his arms. He hadn't been able to recall a time previous to that night when he had let himself show somebody his face glistened with tears and pathetic with fright.

Had it not been Orihime he wouldn't have.

So because of this nauseating nightmare, he found himself slumped against a smooth porcelain bowl of the toilet, vomiting with every memory that dredged into his mind until there was nothing left but his body heaving to expel nothing with Murcielago whimpering at the doorway. He hadn't felt so weak in a long time.

It had been many, many years since he had spent the night on the cold tile floor of his bathroom, as one would say 'hugging the toilet'. His insides clenched together uncomfortably. And his throat was dry. He sat there awhile while the ocean of nausea threw him from side to side until he broke the surface of the water and took a breath. He managed to stand on shaking legs and stumble towards his balcony.

He rested his back against the rails as he sat on the floor, resting his head to where he could gaze up at the sky he felt the small nudge of a furry animal and then the head of his pet rest in his lap gingerly as the small creature licked his sweating palm.

He was grateful for the cool breeze in the air against his warm feverish skin. The view of the sky calmed his frayed nerves. It was grey and littered with ominous clouds threatening a storm.

He sighed. He still hadn't been able to drag his body, plagued by illness, to the hospital to check on Neliel and her twins. Ms. Inoue had filled him in on a significant amount that he'd missed.

Neliel had borne a 7 pound and 5 ounce boy along with a small 5 pound and 5 ounce girl. Orihime went into length about how beautiful they were and how their presence had helped Neliel cope with the loss. But she kept insisting that he go and see her. That Neliel kept requesting for him to make an appearance. But the thought of seeing that place filled with so many sick, fatigued, _bleeding_ people made his stomach churn and his throat squeeze together tightly. He felt his phone buzz in his pocket and feebly yanked the thing out and looked at the ID. It was Orihime. He clicked the green accept button and pressed the device to his ear.

"Ulquiorra-kun? Are you there?" her small fragile voice inquired innocently.

"I am, Ms. Inoue." He rasped.

"Oh! Good…um well…how are you feeling today?" he knew she was both concerned but also avoiding asking about her real reason for calling him.

"My fever has broken for the moment." He responded warily.

"That's wonderful! Um…maybe you would come and see Nel-chan today?...Please?" She hesitated.

He shut his eyes trying to suppress his urge to run back to the bathroom.

"Ulquiorra?" she repeated.

"I will go." Ulquiorra responded, uncertain whether it was smart to go and visit two newborns and their mother when he had been dry-heaving but he would go because Ms. Inoue had asked him twice before in the last two days. He owed that to her and to Neliel even more so. He couldn't cower on his bathroom floor forever.

"Thank you Ulquiorra-kun, thank you very much!" her happy voice was all the encouragement he needed to pick himself off of the balcony and return to the bathroom, to shower only.

* * *

Ulquiorra walked into the hospital keeping his gaze directed at his feet so he wouldn't catch sight of anything ghastly whilst he was still working through getting over his recent dread of blood.

He got the room number of Neliel from the head nurse Unohana and went on his way towards the maternity ward. This wing had a different feel as opposed to most of the wings in the hospital the walls were painted in a soft pink and clouds were stroked amateurly on top of the rosy coat.

He found room number 606 and gently knocked on the shut door.

"Come in." he heard a familiar high-pitched female voice call out.

"I hope I am not interrupting anything." He looked to Neliel's face sheepishly expecting hatred but instead found nothing. She was looking down at her two children, swaddled in blue and pink blankets, cradled in her arms protectively.

"Ulquiorra, you came." She said finally looking into his fearing emerald eyes surprised.

"Yes, at your request." He said apprehensively not sure when she was going to start throwing daggers at him.

"Take a seat." She said pointing with her index finger to a seat near her left side of the bed.

"Are you feeling alright you look like you've lost a little weight." He nodded.

"It is nothing to be of concern." Neliel smiled and looked back down at her twins lovingly.

"Their names are Kagura and Akio." She cooed and then looked to him.

"Would you like to hold one?" he nodded gratuitously for the offer and she shifted the baby cloaked in blue into his hands. This was Akio Jeagerjacques. The son of Grimmjow Jeagerjacques. The small infant suddenly gripped his pale finger in its tiny fingers squeezing harder than he had imagined a newborn could grip.

"He has strength like his father." Ulquiorra said without a second thought. He saw Neliel stiffen but continue looking down at Kagura who was beginning to whine.

"Hey Ulquiorra…I need you to tell me that he's dead." She said softly.

"What?" he said taken back by her request.

"I-I can't…It's not real unless you say it is…I just need you to say it so it can be real." She said her eyes never leaving the swaddled child in her arms he looked at Akio and then to his mother.

"Neliel, Grimmjow is dead." She took in a sharp breath and then exhaled. A single tear began to roll down her face and he was sure there had been many more.

He said nothing but sat there with her until she decided to speak.

"The funeral is tomorrow at 9 am at the station." She said reached over into the bedside table and handing him a post-it with directions scribbled on it.

"I would really appreciate it if you spoke about him…he would have wanted that." She said straining to keep her voice level.

"Nel-chan they were out of pudding but I got you-"Ms. Inoue entered the tense atmosphere with a small cupcake with red velvet base and white buttercream frosting in her hands clueless to what they had been discussing.

"Ulquiorra-kun you came!" she said with a blush in her cheeks and a smile on her face.

She walked over to him bashfully setting the dessert on the table beside Nel and leaning down beside him looking at the child still held in his arms.

"He looks like Grimmjow doesn't he?" though he couldn't quite see it right away there were distinct features akin to his friend.

"Would you care to take him? I have a speech to prepare for the service tomorrow." He said in a hushed tone.

"Here I'll take him." Neliel said suddenly reminding him of her presence. He couldn't help but forget when someone as radiant as Orihime stepped into the room.

"Are you sure Nel-chan? I don't mind!" Orihime said cheerfully. Neliel shook her head with a small smile on her lips.

"You two go, I'll be okay." Orihime nodded unsure of whether Neliel's statement was truthful or not. But he could tell by the inflection in her voice and the tears brimming her eyelids that she wanted to spare them of her mourning.

"Let's go, Ms. Inoue." He said lowly as the busty woman followed him waving farewell to Neliel.

"Are you sure you're feeling okay Ulquiorra-kun?" he nodded but said nothing to hint at the tremendous guilt he felt for his failure.

Ulquiorra was consumed in deep thought about what to say about Grimmjow. That maniacal, adrenaline junkie, doofus of a man. He had many bad qualities that he could list: irrational, stubborn, reckless, etc. Before he'd met Neliel who had somehow with her tiny fists and mane of green hair tamed the beast inside him, he had been a two-timer and a liar. Even at his worst a drunk who wanted nothing more than to pick fights in a bar as an excuse to knock someone's teeth out.

Yet with all the corruptness within him he had a balance of indubitably respectable qualities. He treated women with respect now, he loved his wife and was faithful in his marriage. He only fought when it was for a righteous cause thanks to the humble teaching of his green-haired companion. When Ulquiorra thought about it, all of Grimmjow's newfound methods of living life were formed from his wife.

He would be sure to mention this phenomena.

"You know Nel-chan was really worried about you." He put his thoughts in the back of his mind and focused on the conversation at hand.

"Was she?" The woman nodded her wavy auburn locks swaying with each step they took.

"I was really worried about you too, Ulquiorra-kun." What was this strange tinge of pink in the woman's cheeks and the smallness of her voice? Had he made her nervous?

"There is no need to concern yourself with me Ms. Inoue." He said tonelessly. His hands were shoved in his pockets and his fingers twitched when a small smile graced the perfect curvature of the woman's lips.

"Are you attending the funeral tomorrow?" he replied to distract himself from his borderline scandalous thoughts.

"Yes, I am." She replied looking away as well.

"Would you allow me to accompany you then, Ms. Inoue?" she nodded frivolously.

They appeared at the same familiar place yet again, and he found himself wishing yet again that their walk had been longer.

"Um, Ulquiorra." She began softly as they stood just outside the door of the apartments.

He looked to her as she looked into his eyes warmly.

"It wasn't your fault." He listened intently not sure if he wanted to respond due to his pent up angst on the matter of what he knew she was hinting at.

"In that room…on that table…you did everything you could and um…" her voice began to waver a bit as she continued.

"I just want you to know that me and Nel don't blame you…for what happened…okay?" Her eyes were beginning to look a little raw as if she was about to cry. He was not about to let that happen.

He drew close to her and took a strand of her fiery hair into his hand letting it run across the surface of his index finger she looked to him again confused. He examined the soft strand and then returned to the face of its owner.

"Didn't I tell you not to concern yourself with me, Orihime?"

* * *

Orihime blushed at their proximity her stomach knotting for reasons she couldn't explain as his authoritative yet gentle monotonous voice reassured her.

She couldn't help but become worried after seeing the tears in his emotionless eyes and feeling the tension in in his movements that night. It was a state she never wanted to see him in again. She only wanted Ulquiorra to be happy.

He released the strand of her hair he'd been holding.

"Yes." She said timidly. What was it about him that had begun to make her feel so intimidated yet in a good kind of way? It happened a lot more often she'd noticed. Whenever he told her to do something she followed blindly. Yet she didn't listen to him because she liked being told what to do. She did it because she trusted him. Yes, she trusted him so much that it was beginning to scare her. Which is why she probably felt so timid around him especially during the moments when he came so close to her. There was also a warmth accompanied by his words that reached all the way down to the tips of her toes and made her feel so considered in his actions.

Was this what it felt like to be treated like a lady? Or was it something more than just chivalry?

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"Goodnight! Ulquiorra-kun!" The woman bellowed from her place at the door whilst he stood in the elevator waiting for it to carry him two floors above.

"Goodnight, Ms. Inoue." He said in return. Once the elevator door shut closed he couldn't shake off the small smirk on his lips at the dumb thought that the woman had been worried about his well-being.

Why did that fact make his heart stutter and his breath hitch?

He walked swiftly the door and unlocked the apartment stepping in to be greeted by a scrambling of paws and a few quick barks. He kneeled to greet the black puppy rubbing it behind the ears realizing his sickness had passed. And for reasons unknown to him, he felt much better.

He quickly grabbed the small pouch of dog food he stored under his kitchen sink and scooped a few handfuls of the mix into Murcielago's bowl satisfied as the creature began to munch of the brown colored bits.

Now that the puppy was content he felt he could truly settle down and write the speech he needed to prepare for the service. As he scooted into the small work desk stored in his bedroom he grabbed a pencil and began to scribble down the words floating around in his mind:

_Dear friends, family, and fellow officers,_

_Thank you for coming here today to say farewell to a man who has undoubtedly made a statement in each our lives in his own way. While there are many things I could say about Grimmjow. There is only one person who needs to be credited for his many brave and adequate qualities._

_His beloved wife, Neliel._

_Thanks to Neliel, this rebellious punk of a human became a respectful and decent man._

_Thanks to Neliel, this once emotionless man became a faithful husband._

_And thanks to Neliel, this incredible, gallant officer became the man we all came to know and accept into our hearts as a friend, a father, and a comrade._

_His legacy as a hero who took a bullet to protect his pregnant wife will go on to be a model to his children and all of us of what a father does to protect what he loves. His emotions obviously ran deep but his sacrifice will run deeper in the hearts of the ones he has left behind._

_Thank you. _


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Thank you for your words and EXTREME patience with the progression of this fic! Today I have a little treat for you guy's tehehe :-) Also today's chapter is the longest one yet! Enjoy!**

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**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any other copyrighted material!**

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Lie To Me Chpt. 16

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The funeral had been beautiful, sophisticated and sincere. I found myself in tears the entire time along with the many other faces that appeared there.

The most touching part of the ceremony were the rows of the police force lined shoulder to shoulder against the walls of the station. Before the visitation, close friends and immediate family had been able to see Grimmjow's body one last time. He was buried in his blue uniform that he always wore. Grimmjow's estranged father had even managed to show at the visitation but left shortly after he saw his son. The only way I could tell it was his father was from the striking resemblance in their appearance and their vibrant blue hair that seemed to run in the family.

From what I'd always heard, in the few times that Grimmjow talked about his relatives, Grimmjow's dad was a drunk who rarely visited and seemed to stir trouble anytime he did happen to appear. As far as his mother went it was a fair assumption to assume she was working on the streets as a prostitute like she had been when she gave birth to Grimmjow and then left him to fend alone with his troubled intoxicated father.

But I could swear that when Mr. Jeagerjacques saw his son laying in the casket he had true regret and sorrow in his blue gaze. The kind of look you see in people's eyes when they've lost something valuable.

Ulquiorra had given a beautiful speech and spoken with such eloquence that it pained me. Even the stoic officers around us began to nod in agreement or wipe at their eyes in swift grazes. He truly did a justice to Neliel who was sitting there sniffling whilst bouncing two babies in her lap.

At the burial the police force granted a badge of honor to their captain and buried him firing six shots.

Neliel requested nothing from us but support and help if she needed it and respectful distance while she got past this.

But it was easy to say that our little close-knit group was suffering through hard times.

So in an effort to cheer myself up I still agreed to go with Tatsuki on a double date tonight. Double dates were way more fun than third-wheeling anyway, and I mean it's not like me and Ulquiorra were a couple or anything …

Except there was one problem…

I hadn't even asked Ulquiorra yet, whom I had told Tatsuki earlier that morning I would be dragging along. He would probably look at me blankly and say something like 'Ms. Inoue you are always quite careless with your planning.' Oh yes, Ulquiorra wasn't just a princely chivalrous gentleman that he seemed. He had a sarcastic side to him.

One I was beginning to get fairly well acquainted with. And he just loved to tease. I wasn't sure if this was part of his way of coping with misery or not but it wasn't my favorite thing about him that's for sure. I would get him back in some way.

Another thing was that today was New Year's Eve. At long last it was a fresh start. A fresh start was something everyone I knew needed right now.

And the weather was uncharacteristically warm and pleasant which would only make for a more beautiful night out with friends. They even had a firework show at midnight to welcome the new year. I was desperate to go. I went every year. It was a tradition, though most of the time I ended up being alone.

Ichigo had always had to work on those nights and my other friends were out with their significant other, kissing the night away while I stood there wishing for something incredible to happen to me in the next 365 days. It looks like I didn't quite get what I'd wanted this time around given the pending divorce, death of a friend, and lonely apartment that had no one but little old me aging with every passing hour, alone.

But I would enjoy tonight, and hopefully Ulquiorra would say yes. I nervously traveled back to the hospital where I had decided the day after the funeral I was resigning. There was something about that place that now gave me the absolute shivers. And I never wanted to witness something so twisted and perturbing again. I had applied at the nearest bakery in town, wanting to change up my profession a bit, but I was still awaiting an answer.

I knew Ulquiorra would be somewhere on the surgical floor probably prepping his patient that had a cracked vertebrae from falling down a flight of stairs. He had mentioned something about it recently when we'd gone for coffee to make sure we stayed caught up on what happened in each others lives.

I walked in nervously feeling like an elephant in room with a big bright neon flashing sign over my head saying: I Quit My Job Here!

But I was probably overthinking it by a long shot.

"Orihime-san! Good morning!" I turned to be greeted by the smiling face of nurse Kotetsu whom I had befriended whilst working there.

"Oh Kotetsu-san! How are you?" I smiled nervously hoping she didn't see a big fat elephant.

"Well I'm coping now that you're gone." She frowned, crossing her arms across her chest.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! It's just kinda hard you know?" she nodded still not looking entirely satisfied.

"So is there something you need?" I clasped my hand in front of my stomach feeling a little too nervous for comfort.

"Um, do you know where I can find Dr. Schiffer?" she started laughing lightly.

"You mean Sulkiorra? He's in the x-ray room." I nodded putting my hand on the back of my head.

"Thanks haha." She gave me a quick hug and walked away continuing to laugh.

I traveled through the many bustling bodies and finally managed to reach the brightly illuminated room.

I opened the door and found him staring at a full body scan muttering intellectual orders to a younger looking intern. He turned to look at the door out of one eye and acknowledged me with a:

"Ah, one moment Ms. Inoue." I looked practically everywhere and eventually began counting the number of tile squares in the room until he finally uttered:

"…simple enough, please go and inform the family. Please excuse us." The young girl nodded and hurried out the door with a clipboard gripped tightly against her chest.

"What brings you here Ms. Inoue?" he said casually stuffing his expertise hands in his pockets and facing her.

"Um well nothing really." He frowned calling my bluff.

"You are lying." I sighed, nothing ever got past him.

"Well, you see Tatsuki-chan and this guy named Chad are going on a date tonight and invited me to join and so I said yes of course but…I sort of said I would bring someone and…I know it's New Year's Eve and all so I get it of you have plans but…" I put my hands in question up in the air and smiled my prettiest apologetic smile.

"Ms. Inoue are you asking me on a date?" he said sounding generally amused by the whole predicament.

"Y-You could say that." I suddenly felt extremely embarrassed. I really had just asked Ulquiorra on a date! A date! Why was I feeling so dizzy all of a sudden?

"What time shall I escort you?" I blinked. Was this his way of agreeing to go?

"U-Um eight o'clock would be great." He nodded and turned back to his x-rays.

"It is a date then." My face broke out into the biggest smile I could manage and threw my arms around Ulquiorra's slender waist hugging him tightly.

"Thank you, Ulquiorra! You won't regret it!" and then I turned leaving a flabbergasted Ulquiorra frozen in place in the small x-ray room skipping away planning out my outfit in my head as I hurried home.

* * *

"Oh my gosh is it really already 8!?" Ulquiorra stood outside Orihime Inoue's apartment door listening to the woman scrambling around in her dwelling desperately looking for things she hadn't set out ahead of time. Really she was quite hopeless. He leaned against the hallway wall opposite of the door with his hands jammed into his dark leans pockets. He heard a loud crash followed by a shrill 'darn it!' and then footsteps clomping towards the doorway.

At last the woman opened the door giving him full view of her.

"So how do I look? I want to make sure I make a good impression on Chad!" He was at an utter loss for words. It made sense that she would show off a little more skin given the temperature outdoors currently but she looked so…intriguing. He wanted nothing more than to just look at her and examine the way her strapless dress clung to her sinfully curved body with such perfection. He wanted to explore the feeling of the faded grey silk-like material pressed against his body and her creamy skin brushing against his. He desired to run his fingers through her soft hair that was curled lightly at the ends which tickled the back of her rear, and pull it ever so slightly just because he could.

"That outfit unexpectedly suits you." She smiled and twirled around like a much clumsier strappy-sandaled ballerina.

"Let's go Ulquiorra-kun!" she bounced along beside him happily with her blue flower shaped hairpins holding stray hairs back from obscuring her lovely features. He let her lead on given he was just an escort in this situation though he had sadly like a romantic sap from a cliché romantic comedy wanted to be much more than just a step in for something she didn't have – a boyfriend.

"Hey Ulquiorra?" he returned his solemn gaze back to her sparkling eyes.

"Hmm?" she cautiously like a child stepped over the cracks in the sidewalk.

"Have you ever been to the fireworks festival that they show at midnight on New Year's?" her question while not out of context caught him off-guard.

"I used to go once, a long time ago with my mother." Orihime stopped her skipping and returned safely by his side her interest clearly peaked and eyes expectant of more details he didn't necessarily feel like scrounging up.

"She was a woman who enjoyed things like fireworks immensely." He watched the woman under lidded eyes smile softly.

"What about you?" she questioned looking at the many hand-holding coupled trash passing them on the pavement.

"They are not entirely unpleasant." The woman seemed to be plotting something with that remark, if the devilish smirk on her face wasn't a good enough indicator, but before he could investigate further they arrived at a relatively nice restaurant.

Upon entering the premises they were seated immediately on the opposing side of a four seating table across from Arisawa and a massive man next to her whose dark brown hair covered his eyes completely.

"Hello Tatsuki-chan! And you must be Chad-kun?" the large man only grunted in confirmation and Orihime wide-eyed sat back down in her seat scooting closer to the table.

"Um Chad-kun this is Ulquiorra-kun!" the woman introduced him fervently using excessive hand gestures to make sure that this Chad knew it was to him she was referring.

"Greetings." He offered dryly. The man merely grunted again and Arisawa was beginning to look anxious. That was precisely when he noticed something out of place on the girl. Her appearance was the same kind of kick-ass independent woman look as it had always been yet on her tanned face there was what appeared to be make-up. Most would think him crazy for finding a makeup wearing female odd yet this was no ordinary female. Arisawa in all of the time he'd known her never accentuated anything and one time he was pretty sure she'd told some overly curious girls that it was because she didn't like to appear fake.

So why was she now highlighting her natural beauty with black goo and tinted powder? Did she love this Chad? Had she changed her philosophy?

"You look nice, Orihime." He shifted his attention to Chad as he rumbled a deep compliment to the woman.

"Thank you Chad-kun! So were you born in Japan or did you learn Japanese in America?" the giant shook his head.

"Arisawa taught me." Ulquiorra could tell that the possible reason for his slow speech and rough answers were simply because he was not very fluent in Japanese but he seemed to be able to understand the language very well.

"Is this easier for you to understand?" he could tell from the shocked expressions adorning both the woman's and Arisawa's faces, as well as the slight widening of Chad's barely visible eyes that he had successfully surprised them.

"You can speak English?" the giant inquired.

"I can speak several different languages." He replied.

"Ulquiorra-kun!" he turned his gaze back to the woman whose jaw was slack in disbelief.

"S-Say something again!" he thought for a moment and then in 100% fluent English said:

"You look lovely in that attire Ms. Inoue." No one aside from the giant would've been able to understand his comment so he felt comfortable voicing his opinion out loud.

"What did you say?" she asked in extreme enthusiasm.

"I said you had red-colored hair." He lied as she squeaked in happiness.

"When did you learn to speak like that?" she asked excitedly. He recalled the many frustrating hours he spent at the university stumbling over syllables and cursing himself just to perfect his accents.

"My job requires me to be flexible." He explained vaguely though the answer seemed more than satisfactory to Orihime.

"Cool." Arisawa stated blankly in awe holding the same sort of open-mouthed expression.

"So Chad-kun what's it like to be a pro-wrestler?" Orihime asked switching topics. He looked to Arisawa again and found her breathing easily which was what he had hoped for. He had successfully relieved the awkward tension between the four of them without lifting a finger.

* * *

Tatsuki watched her boyfriend calmly speak to Orihime about all the strange very Orihime-like questions she asked which kept everyone entertained for the most part.

It wasn't until Ulquiorra excused himself momentarily that she saw a different look in her friend's normally bubbly expression. As he gracefully got up and walked towards the rest rooms Orihime's silver eyes followed him _intently_. It was a look akin to the kind she used to give Ichigo whenever he would come near them but slightly different. She trailed after his perfectly aligned backside without seeming to even realize why it was she was staring after their raven-haired friend. It was natural, like an instinctive movement. And Tatstuki found this observation fascinating. Secretly, always she had wanted to pair the two up. This idea to have a double-date was only a subconscious suggestion of her incredible want for them to come together.

Ulquiorra was that calm, passive anchor that Orihime who was a boisterous charging battleship needed to tie her down and keep her from drifting out to dangerous seas. He definitely had feelings for her there was no denying that. What with the way he looked at her whenever she shifted her gaze elsewhere or the tenderness in his touch on the rare occasion he bumped into her gorgeous friend.

She'd never had the heart to tell Orihime all those years ago that she didn't believe her and Ichigo were star-crossed lovers and all that bullshit. Love was cruel. That was the hard simple fact.

So the idea settled with her to play matchmaker and ditch the two so they would be alone together and let fate play out. Maybe that subconscious desire to follow Ulquiorra that she sensed within her friend would evolve into a fully mature realization with a little nudge in the right direction and the inevitable participation of Chad.

She quietly whispered something to Chad once Ulquiorra returned and Orihime was distracted and her lover stood up with her following his lead.

"Sorry but would you guys mind if we say goodbye here? Chad is dying to see some of the traditions that happen here on New Year's?" she said deceptively scratching the back of her neck to try and convince them her ploy was sincere.

"Sure Tatsuki-chan! It was nice to meet you Chad-kun!" Orihime stood and gave a small bow and Ulquiorra finally stood as well and insisted to cover the check given that Chad was a foreigner and it was a 'man's duty'.

Tatsuki watched on secretly pleased with herself as the two went their separate way together side by side.

"I'll have to keep my eye on you." Chad said in his rough teasing tone that was barely perceivable from his normal tone.

She smiled coyly and intertwined her small fingers with his gargantuan ones walking beside him with her free hand wrapped around his thick muscular arm that was holding her hand.

"I guess you will." She smirked playfully.

* * *

Rangiku believed whole-heartedly that New Year's Eve was a stupid celebration. For god's sake it was like everyone in the entire goddamn city of Karakura was out and about trying to suffocate her with their presence and breathing her air.

All she wanted was to be able to walk the streets without people bumping into her from all angles and couples close-lining her with their stupid hands that were held together like superglue.

When she finally got away from all of smelly, loud, oxygen-sucking people crowding the streets she felt lonely oddly enough. Annoyed, lonely and verging on her 30's. Her life sounded like a pathetic waste of space.

Her she was on a lovely night like tonight sitting with her arms leaning on a rail with the view of the local lake, her blonde hair curled and makeup lathered on, looking like a fucking dream, and she was feeling sorry for herself.

She really hated that you couldn't choose who you fell in love with. Had she been able to pick a guy for herself she would've settled for some rich loser with tons of money who never left the comfort of his private island. And had she done that she would be sitting somewhere in the Bahamas sipping on a coconut with a fancy little drink-umbrella wearing next to nothing with her feet propped up and a palm leaf fanning her. Yet instead she was here in Japan, barren, alone and hopelessly head over heels for a government employed idiot that rarely ever graced her with his mysterious presence.

But she wasn't complaining. This was her life and she could do nothing but wait on him because there was nothing inside her that wouldn't rip in two at the thought of leaving that fox-faced silver-haired grinning bastard. She wasn't one who got so hung up on something that she spent restless nights awake just thinking about it. But Gin was a different story.

God, she needed to get a new hobby that didn't involve drinking. Alcohol made her cranky.

"Why the sad face darlin'?" she felt her breath hitch in her throat at the familiar nickname and rose from her slouch turning to rest her rear against the metal rods and face the man she craved to be near. She hated how excited she felt and the feeling of butterflies fluttering in her stomach.

"Gin…I thought you weren't coming back until next week?" she said dumbfounded not quite convinced her current amount of liquor running through her veins wasn't making her hallucinate.

"You didn't think I'd be that mean and let you spend New Year's all alone, did ya?" he drawled. She scoffed remembering the several New Year's Eves she'd spent at home drinking away her loneliness quite similar to tonight. She mentally kicked herself for the pang of heartache she felt thump in her chest. She tried to keep the tears from springing forth in her clear blue eyes.

"I really missed you Gin…" she said sounding not at all like the strong supportive Rangiku she was usually. The woman people knew her as, and the woman Gin seemed to reduce to puddle of sniveling salty tears. He stepped forward leaning over her considerably with his staggering height.

"Just a little bit longer Ran and I promise it'll all be worth it." He whispered huskily into her ear. He cupped the sides of her face gently his thumbs tilting her chin towards him, her starved lips nearly touching his. The wind blew her trailing strawberry-blonde hair back as well as the pink scarf draped over her elbows as he closed the distance.

There he was talking strangely again. Yet she felt as though that accursed ungainable ground between them was somehow beginning to become transversal. And she had hopes of crossing that long standing terrain to finally clutch this man to herself.

* * *

"What time is it Ulquiorra-kun?" The woman nagged him yet again for what he felt was the millionth time. And with each passing minute he would remind her.

"It is still 11:55, Ms. Inoue." He could have cared less about the fireworks show, he was more entertained by her sincere excitement than any amateur displays of exploding light.

She sighed puffing her cheeks out in a display of dismay. He stifled a chuckle. She truly was just like a child when it came to things like this.

"Well since we're just sitting here and there's nothing better to do there's something I've been wanting to talk to you about." She absent-mindedly twirled a long caramel strand around her finger as she spoke.

"I've been thinking about going to classes." She stated hesitantly. He raised an eyebrow at her.

"What spurred this desire?" he questioned curiously.

"You see that's the part I didn't want to tell you…" she said nervously like she had hidden some elaborate secret from him or gone around behind his back tiptoeing with clumsy feet, not that she had the will and or skill to do so without his knowledge of the matter in the first place.

"I've been struggling for a while to make ends meet." A memory of her exhausted face falling into sleep on his couch came to mind. Yet though he shouldn't have been, he couldn't take the image of her innocent vulnerability as her features relaxed and she came to rest gingerly on her side out of his mind. He put too and too together and realized she'd been overworking herself at the hospital. He cursed himself for not noticing sooner.

"How long?" he inquired silently impressed that someone like her had managed to push aside luxury for the necessity of what had to be done.

"A month or so. Which is why I wanted a second opinion on whether it would be smart to try and major in business or something." He pondered the possibilities and eventually decided that whatever would please her is what she should pursue. Though he thought she would be more suited to running a shop for people with cravings for bizarre cake flavors.

"You should pursue whatever brings you the most pleasure, Ms. Inoue." She giggled covering her mouth with her hands.

"What is so funny?" she dropped her hands and sighed.

"I just knew you would say something like that." He tore his gaze away from her grey eyes looking up at him from under her lashes batting innocently.

"It appears you know me well."

* * *

Knowing him well was an over-statement but I definitely could read him better after spending so much time with him. Like when he was confused he would raise an eyebrow, or when he was angry he lowered his tone, and most importantly when he was pleased he would form a small almost indistinguishable smile.

That almost unclassifiable as a smile, smile, was what I strived to see. When he showed it to me it felt like a small gift he allowed only for my eyes to behold. Which was both exciting and confusing. Suddenly, a breeze of cold air hit my bare, uncovered thighs and I instinctively took a step closer to Ulquiorra.

"If you are cold you may step behind me." He said tonelessly. I understood what he meant and shifted to face him head on as he acted as a buffer to the suddenly chilly wind.

We weren't extremely close in proximity but we were near enough so that I had nowhere to look save for his eyes. It brought me back to a memory that must've slipped my imaginative mind.

That look in his eyes was the same as it had been that day I'd seen him in the convenience store. That warm and gentle intensity that made her feel strangely desirable. It made her feel so so…oh what was the right word?

Wanted.

He made me feel like I was something to be wanted. And being wanted was a wonderful feeling. I'd never felt like I was the one who boys sought after, I always felt like the one who was doing the chasing. But not in this moment.

That docile patience embroidered with passion reflecting in his emerald gaze made me feel like I was something extraordinary.

"T-Thank you." I finally responded not being able to tear my eyes away from that hungry expression on Ulquiorra's face.

My words brought more flashes into my mind of when I'd seen those eyes. In my apartment when we'd been making a cake together. I'd thanked him and couldn't remember why. And he'd leaned towards me hadn't he? He gravitated towards her and I'd wanted him to close that distance.

And again I'd witnessed that burning need in him when we'd brushed hands whilst playing with Murcielago. Those precious moments before Neliel had called. Yes, he'd said my name clearly. And there had been something he wanted to tell me hadn't there?

"Ulquiorra." I said feeling suddenly self-conscious. What the heck it was just his name there was no reason for me to be so weird about it!

"Yes?" Oh he was going to think I sounded like a crazy person bringing up something from over a week ago, but his yearning look must've been contagious because I was desperate to know what he was thinking at that time. I **needed** to know.

"Isn't there something you've been needing to tell me?" He frowned at first but understanding seemed to slowly dawn across his features. His hands still stationed in his pockets.

"Ah, that." He said looking briefly away from her, a smirk crossing his mouth.

"Well you see _Orihime…_" he said in a hushed tone as he leaned towards me. One of his pale hands strayed from his pocket and rested on the back of my neck his fingers tangling into the red strands tucked behind my ear. I felt my heart jolt as he came closer until his lips only hovered mere centimeters from mine. I could feel the hotness of his breath as he spoke.

"I'm in _love_ with you." My eyes widened as his lips brushed against mine in tender burning motions. The first screech of the fireworks tore through the sky as a bright burst of brilliant white sparkled in the indigo expanse.

The glittering embers illuminated our shadowed faces as I clutched his crisp white shirt with searching fingers. I felt lost in his passionate kisses, breathlessly feeling my vision blur as I pulled him closer, leaning into his lithe frame.

His lips were the only thing tethering me down from floating away as I felt my spine tingle in fleeting excitement.

Strands of his black hair tickled my cheek as I restlessly moved my hand to new spot to grip on his starched button down.

I felt something pulsating beneath my palm. Beating in quick short intervals that matched the rhythmic drumming thump in my chest.

And I realized then that I wasn't the only one who felt as though their world was spinning.

* * *

**A/N: Please review! ;-)**


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: I hope everyone enjoyed that little confession last chapter hehe :-) But how does Orihime feel? And will a certain person who I have neglected to pay attention to confront Ichigo? I present to you chapter 17. Review and enjoy!**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any other copyrighted material.**

* * *

Lie To Me Chpt. 17

* * *

Love is a double-edged sword.

That's what Byakuya Kuchiki had always told her when she had the audacity to ask him for such answers about something as personal as affection.

He wasn't a warm man, no not in the slightest. But even still Rukia respected him greatly. She admired his success in the ways of law and therefore had followed in his footsteps. His cold demeanor only made her want to bang her little fists on those walls he put up between them even harder, and that's what she felt her duty was as his only sister.

She wasn't sure she had even ever seen her big brother smile. He rarely even acknowledged her existence as it was. She wasn't sure if it was because he viewed her as weak or because he thought it was unbecoming of someone 7 years older to address someone so young with such brotherly familiarity.

But despite all of his frigid habits, Rukia found herself asking him yet again for help in her little disappointing life.

He had always seemed to have a plan and know what to do when things turned south, a gift she herself did not possess.

So when the question of Ichigo rose in her mind she found herself trodding towards Byakuya's manor in their large estate.

Because of their family's rigid tradition upholding views, a member did not leave the Kuchiki estate unless they were married or dead. She had of course been married but with the finalized divorce she had begged for re-housing from her stern parents. And with great reluctance they tolerated her presence, and allowed her to come back.

She stopped at the large sliding door with a sakura petal insignia on the design.

"N-Nii-sama?" she called out nervously, unsure of whether he would grace her with a response or not.

"Enter." She cautiously and even a bit excitedly slid the door open revealing a kneeling Byakuya practicing his already perfected calligraphy.

"Is there something you need, Rukia?" She shuffled her feet feeling a blush creep unto her cheeks in embarrassment of what she wanted to ask. In an attempt to keep the conversation more private she calmly slid the door back into its previous state and knelt down in front of her brother who did not look up from his work to even look at her.

"N-Nii-sama-"

"Speak clearly when you address me, Rukia." She shook her head clearing her throat.

"Ah, right, I'm sorry. Nii-sama I was wondering what you think I should do about my um…affair?" his brow furrowed slightly, but he gave no other indication of his opinion.

"Are you in love with this person?" he asked, his fingers marking ink across the white parchment with smooth ease. She fidgeted with the hem of her skirt thinking over his question.

She recalled the way she felt when he touched her. It felt like her heart was going to run up out of her throat and jump out, committing effective suicide.

She loved the way he whispered her name like it was a line of the most eloquent poetry.

Though she didn't usually enjoy people pointing out her height, when she stood next to Ichigo, who towered over her, she liked the infectious confidence that he held in his stance.

She liked the way his eyes softened when he spoke with her, and how they communicated the most effective message of passion when looking into them from within his arms.

She longed often for him to be near to her just so she could breathe in his musky scent, which made her forget the horrors she had been through in life.

But were these things what someone could call love?

She'd never felt these things with Kaien necessarily, and maybe what she'd labeled as love when it came to Renji was a false conception.

But she knew out of everything she'd experienced with any man, no one could melt her calm and usually disciplinarian like composure into a stammering red-faced puddle, as easily as he could with one quick glance.

"I think so." She stated somewhat hesitantly.

"Is he married?" She flinched when he said the word 'married'.

"Well, technically yes."

"Then you should have no further contact with him, Rukia." He stated as if it was an order. She frowned clenching her fists tighter.

"Nii-sama, it's not that simple." She complained feeling like this conversation was starting to head for a direction she didn't want.

"What about it is not simple?" his hand made a small jab that reflected the growing irritation in his tone.

"You were married and though you aren't anymore, you still have a responsibility as an adult to respect his marriage." His harsh words didn't make her blood boil in anger much to her surprise. Instead they stung, like whiplash. And a gentle acceptance settled over her accompanied by a pity as she looked at her older brother. Had some lover she didn't know about slighted him in some way? Was he really being cold, or was he trying to protect her from more heart ache?

"Have you ever been in love, Nii-sama?" she seemed to have surprised him with that question and his eye twitched in response. His long hesitancy to speak almost convinced her to give up but, then came the cold and detached:

"I have." Now it was her turn to be surprised. Was he actually going to talk with her? Was this finally the start to the deepening of their bond as siblings?

"With who? If it's okay that I ask that." His eyes narrowed and he said if only by decibels softer,

"Yoruichi Shihoin." Rukia gasped and threw a hand over her mouth. She knew that woman. But more so Byakuya had entrusted her with this information.

"It appears you know who she is." She brushed a stray strand of her jet-black hair behind her ear and nodded.

"Then you also understand why I do not pursue her." He continued.

"But Nii-sama she's not-"

"That is all we will discuss on this matter." A small frown pulled down at her lips. And here she thought she was actually getting somewhere.

"Do you have any more questions for me?" He asked returning to his previous statue-like demeanor.

"No that's all, Nii-sama."

* * *

"Urahara-san." Kisuke turned his covered head of unruly blonde hair to look at his companion from the side of his eye, shadowed by the cover of his green and white striped hat.

"Yes, Ichigo?" he said, adding more emphasis to the 'yes' than necessary, just to ruffle the carrot-tops feathers.

"How much longer do you intend to keep me here…WORKING AS A FREAKING CASHIER?!" he felt the sharp _thwack_ of a hand hitting him hard on top of the head, and rubbed the now sore spot.

"Owwww Ichigo don't you have any respect for your employer?" he whined. The kid really did hit hard.

"Oh I have respect all right, respect for the people working their asses off in the firm!" he expected a second smack but it never came. He looked up already knowing whom had intercepted.

"Yoruichi-san, what a pleasant surprise." He opened a fan with a single jolt of his hand and hid his uncovered face from his company.

"Kisuke, just what did you do to make this brat so angry?" Ichigo struggled in her vice-like grip and only when she decided to release him he stumbled back into a pile of boxes containing an assortment of sweets.

"Ah you see he's convinced I'm forcing him to stay here with me and run this shop." The woman smiled and paraded over to where he stood and leaned toward him, nearly touching his bristly chin with her chocolate nose.

"I wouldn't put it past you." She said a sultry tone reflecting her teasing mood, as she ran her hand down the exposed skin of his chest in his dark yukata.

"Yoruichi where the heck did you come from?" the tanned woman turned and placed a hand on her hip staring down at the candy-covered Ichigo.

"Long time no see, Ichigo." the illustrious woman responded. Irritated, the sweet-infested Ichigo struggled to stand and in the wake of his own wreckage without falling for a second time.

* * *

Ichigo watched as the mysterious shop keeper leaned down eyes widening at whatever the she-demon was whispering into his ear. A fan covered the man's expression Urahara waved him off.

"It looks like we can finally conclude this little adventure of ours, Tessai will bring your bags to the front!" Suspicion aroused in his mind but he didn't want to picture his idiotic, unorganized, and somewhat sadistic boss with Yoruichi draped over him, so he turned and left.

"See ya." He muttered and rose a hand in goodbye as he strode out of the heated shop. His bags like Urahara had said were neatly placed beside the shop and he grabbed his suitcase swinging in over his shoulder with three fingers keeping hold on the hand to prevent it from falling on the pavement.

He sighed and scratched his neck feeling his hair brush against the outside of hand. His hair had gotten significantly longer in his time traveling, and the crazy bastard hadn't spared him enough time to so much as blink without being rushed off to do another task.

He breathed in the scent of his hometown, having forgotten the familiar mixture of aroma's circulating in the air.

It was still fairly cold but not to the point where you desperately needed a jacket to be comfortable. The familiar sights were comforting but he was starting to feel the fatigue that traveling had worn on him. By the time he reached his apartment he felt downright sluggish and wanted nothing more than to collapse on the bed only feet away from his behind that darn door.

"Yo." He froze, his timeworn attitude being slowly replaced by anxiety. The spiky red hair, the green bandana, and the flared pants that were uniquely his style.

"Renji." He said his eyes narrowing.

"What's up, Ichigo?" He said nothing but instead moved towards the apartment door and unlocked it gesturing for step-brother to escort himself in. He'd been expecting this, but he wished he would have come a day or so later when he had time to recover from the jet-lag.

"So Orihime is really outta here huh?" he tensed hearing her name from the red-heads mouth and ignored the comment moving towards his fridge.

"Do you want something to drink, Renji?" he could feel his guests gaze boring into his back.

"A beer would be nice." He rummaged through the fridge into the back compartment where he always kept his stash so Inoue wouldn't get upset.

"Here." He set the cold bottle on the table and waited as the man strode towards him his hands gripping the bottle and opening the cap on the opener attached to the island side.

He took a long gulp his eyes never leaving Renji's and Renji's never leaving his. He sighed a set down the bottle now half empty on the granite top again breaking their stare-fest.

"Well first things first," He didn't have time to react, and if he had he wouldn't have dodged. The blow was as hard as ever and sent him flying back into the tan wall on the other side of the room, slumping down against the hardwood. He cradled his nose groaning only slightly feeling the trickle of blood run across his hand.

"let's get that out of the way." He heard Renji's footsteps near him and raised his eyes to see an outstretched hand. Cautiously, he took it and was helped to his feet.

"Sorry about that but I made a promise to Orihime that the next time I saw you, I'd knock your teeth out." He didn't make a defensive argument towards his step-brother but calmly accepted the bloody nose he had received.

"Not very talkative today are you?" Renji bantered. He scowled and moved back towards the kitchen counter, when an envelope caught his eye. There was a pink notice attached to it and he made note to look at it later when he wasn't under the scrutiny of his stepbrother.

"There isn't much to say." He responded and leaned against the counter recalling when Inoue used to cook many of his favorite foods with her own twist just to please him, in that tight yellow apron she would always wear. Damn it. Just when he get so sentimental?

"You miss her?" he snapped back to Renji.

"Miss who?" Renji took another sip of his beer and slammed it not so gently back against the counter.

"Your wife, idiot." He pondered the question and realized he couldn't decide between if he really missed her or the idea of her presence. But he knew he missed one thing…he missed that feisty little black-haired woman who always seemed to try and knock sense into him.

"I should miss her." Reni 'tch'ed at him and gripping the transparent brown bottle in his hands tighter.

"Honestly, I don't understand you're appeal here. You get two gorgeous woman hanging off of you and your own brain is too screwed up to decide what you 'should' feel. How can someone as smart albeit broken as Rukia place her heart in your slippery hands? Or Orihime for that matter." he shook his head. Not feeling one ounce of anger towards Renji's observations because he was exactly right. He had trampled over several people in his own oblivion. His only emotions were regret and confusion.

"I agree." Renji seemed extremely taken back if his guffawed expression was anything to go by. But then his shock shifted to anger as his predatory gaze narrowed on him. He stood and marched towards Him grabbing his collar in one hand and abruptly yanking upwards in a threatening motion.

"You 'agree'?" he growled lowly.

Ichigo raised a hand and gripped the wrist holding him upright and glared in the spaniard's eyes with a malice foreign to his stepbrother - the kind of which he'd never seen – and it sent a chill running down his spine. The older male released the collar of his junior and stepped away. The fury dulled but did not completely fizzle away.

"I don't expect anyone to excuse my behavior. Hell, I don't even expect forgiveness. But what I do want people to understand…" Ichigo's gaze rested on the frightened look in Renji's normally fearless eyes.

* * *

"…that I wasn't the one who made me this way." Renji cleared his throat and stared at the serious dead-pan expression on the carrot-tops face.

"What do you mean?" he was confused by his phrasing. Had something really changed him that much?

"You wouldn't understand what I had to go through…Renji…you don't know what it's like to watch someone who holds your whole world together die right in front of you!" The atmosphere between them changed from one of confrontation to one of mutual understanding.

Renji recalled all the nights where Rukia would suddenly spring up from sleep in a cold sweat, with her short black hair matted to her slick skin by sweat and tears. Her thrashing around and calling out for help. Her night terrors hadn't even been the worst of her troubles either. Watching her slowly turn from the brave independent girl he'd fallen for in high school to the defensive vulnerable shell she was now, was one of the most taxing hardships he'd endured in his whole life. And now realizing his step-brother, though they weren't even related by blood, had underwent the same process; well he couldn't help but feel a little bit guilty.

"I just…wanted to protect her. I really just…loved my mom." He hadn't even come into the picture of living with the Kurosaki's until late high school. Ichigo had always been a son-of-a-bitch in his mind, but a sensible one. Had he really missed the mark in his judgement by that much, that he hadn't seen the deeper meaning behind all of those rejecting notions towards the people who concerned their selves with him?

"And I get it Renji," He snapped out of his contemplation and returned to Ichigo, who was now bowed before him in a submissive manor.

"I get that I'm not worth anything, for all the things I've done. So if it makes you feel better go ahead and hit me again!" The Spaniard lowered his gaze away from the man clenching his fists in trembling desperation in front of him and he began to walk towards the door.

"No, that's enough Ichigo." He brought down his hand in his stride with abit more than gentle force and ruffled his orange hair.

"You got what you needed from me…" he opened the door and stepped out.

"…understanding."

* * *

As I stood in back section of little bakery called 'Sweets n' Treats' I couldn't take my mind off of what had happened only a few days ago on New Year's Eve. I had completely dropped my hours at the hospital and decided I was going to go through with the plan to start taking classes, of course this decision had been made with the help of a certain doctor…who I can't think about because if I think about him then I'll start…

"Inoue-san! Inoue-san!" I'll start zoning out.

"Eh?"

"You're squeezing the frosting too hard!" I looked down and realized that the pale pink frosting covered not only the cupcake but my hands and fingers as well.

"Oh I'm sorry! Forgive me! Forgive me!" The little old lady who ran the store shook her hands in reassurance.

"It's alright Inoue-san but it seems you're a bit…distracted today. Why don't you go run the cashier for a while and leave the cupcakes to Atsushi-san?" I nodded, my head tilted down and feeling utterly guilty as I trotted towards the front of the store.

"Screw up another one?" I heard a friendly male voice call. I looked up to see the lady's grandson, Atsushi. He was tall maybe a little bit shorter than Ichigo, and had sandy brown hair that swished to the side, with a slight curl.

"Yeah." He laughed a patted a sympathetic hand on my shoulder.

"It gets easier, trust me." I really hope it did. We switched places and I placed the little hat on top of my head, with a little smiling cupcake pinned on it, frowning at the vacant display.

How was I supposed to focus when all I could think about was the warmth of Ulquiorra's hand pressed against my cheek, and the way his lips felt pressed against mine? Oh and that wasn't the only thing distracting me, no, it was that simple little phrase composed of simple little words…

"Miss?"

Those words that left my ears ringing still, and were embroidered across my eyelids everytime I blinked.

"Miss?"

_I'm in love with you._

"Ah, y-yes? I'm sorry!"

When I finally finished my shift it was close to six thirty and all I wanted to do was take a nice, warm, and relaxing bath with the new scented candle I'd bought that smelled like strawberries and push all thoughts of Ulquiorra away.

"Good evening, Ms. Inoue." I froze on the spot turning to see a certain dark-haired green-eyed man who'd been causing a ruckus in my mind lately, leaning against the brick wall beside the bakery door.

"U-Ulquiorra-kun!" He stood to face me.

"Arisawa mentioned something about you working at a nearby bakery and I thought I'd come and escort you home." A blush spread from across my cheeks down to the crook of my elbows.

"You didn't have to do that Ulquiorra-kun!" He pushed pass me looking back out of the corner of his eye.

"Nonsense, I would not be here if I did not want to be." I nodded and joined him, walking nervously at his side. I felt like a little middle school girl stealing chaste glances towards him when I thought it was safe. He was looking straight ahead, focused like always. He had come all this way just to take me home, too. Why did that make me so incredibly happy?

Our walk home was quiet, more so than usual, but I couldn't bring myself to break the silence first. In fact I felt a bit guilty… I had been avoiding him somewhat not because I didn't feel something for him but because I couldn't in all fairness tell him that I loved him too. At least, not yet.

We stopped on my floor and paused staring at each other in front of my door.

"I must be honest with you Ms. Inoue." I looked into his guilt-bearing emerald eyes as he stood hands in pockets in front of me, effectively trapping me between the door and himself.

"I did not just walk you home out of the goodness of my heart, I wanted to speak with you about the other night." I gulped feeling my heart begin to beat against my ribcage like a cornered animal.

"I understand if you are uncomfortable with my actions, and I apologize if it made you think my intentions were impure…"

"Ulquiorra." I said effectively stopping him his gaze returned to mine and I smiled flashing my pearly whites at him in sincerity.

"There's nothing to be sorry for!" He looked relieved and let out a small breath he'd been holding.

* * *

"But," There was always a catch when things seemed to be riding so smoothly. He had anticipated it, prepared for it even, but her words were not the ones he had expected. That harsh rejection that left a man slighted. And the scarring memory that a woman left on the heart.

"I don't think it's okay for me to label us as a, you know, couple until I'm really divorced…and if that's too much to ask then I get it but…" now it was his turn to cut her off. He selfishly leant down to her height and pressed a lingering kiss against her warm forehead, resting a hand on the back of her skull and then pulled away after capturing her darting eyes, enjoying the scarlet tint that spread throughout her cheeks with pride.

"It's not too much, for you, anything can be…compromised." Her cloudy silver eyes rested on his face, a small smile up-turning the perfect curvature of her lips.

"Thank you, Ulquiorra." She spoke softly and turned to enter her apartment calling out over her shoulder an enthusiastic 'see you tomorrow!' and then shutting the door.

He too, left and began to retreat to his own apartment only a floor above hers, hardly able to conceal the smile plastered onto his normally tight-pressed lips.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Wow the Ulquihime feels are really hitting me hard *sniffles* ****bring him back**** Kubo! AND OH MY GOSH GRIMMJOW IS BACK. I HAVE BEEN CRYING WITH TEARS OF JOY AND HAPPINESS ****AND**** HE FREAKING CAME BACK WITH NEL HOLY OTP I'M FREAKING OUT. Kubo is a saint. Anyways here's Chapter 18 (it's the longest yet). Reviews are nice. Enjoy!**

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**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any other copyrighted material.**

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Lie To Me Chpt. 18

* * *

My day started with a phone call.

The day itself was rather dreary in and of itself in any case. Therefore I, like many of the residents of Karakura, decided to stay inside so as not to catch a cold in the heavy rain flooding the streets.

The phone call came from the firm where Ichigo worked which roused some suspicion from me, but I answered it none-the-less, not wanting to be rude. It was my lawyer Juushiro Ukitake who hadn't wanted to pry, being the kind light-hearted person he was, but wanted to know the status that my divorce papers were in. I watched the small rain drops gathering on the windowsill in my kitchen, feeling a strange void in my normally wholesome chest. It made me feel unusually fatigued and as if on cue my sturdily built joints began to ache, as if I'd spent the whole day doing yoga or something like that.

I calmly, after a long pause, told him I would be bringing in the signed papers sometime during that week, so he didn't need to worry about dropping the paperwork and with a falsely cheerful 'goodbye' that made me cringe, clicked the 'end call' button. I sighed now suddenly depressed and alone wrapped in a blanket with small chubby-the-bunny faces printed on it, staring out a window, rubbing my sore knees.

I guess it was about time I went and saw him again. It wasn't something I necessarily wanted to do, but it was rather a feeling buried deep within me that I needed to rekindle our abrupt separation on a more final note and maybe take back a few things in the process that I'd left behind in the wake of my fury and confusion. I pictured Ichigo's scowling face in my mind.

Was this something that I needed to tell Ulquiorra? I mean he was my…my...friend? No, we were more than that now weren't we? I mean he had told me he loved me and I…hadn't. So what did that make us? Friends and a little bit more but waiting for the girl to divorce her husband so we can be official, status? Ugh this was giving me a headache. Was it some deep-rooted fear that kept me from allowing Ulquiorra to have that heart of mine that I so desperately clung onto? Or was it something that had been instilled in me over the years? Who had made me so very cautious with this beating thing of mine?

Was it the memories of watching my mom lay around doing god-only-knows with other men, giving every piece of her soul away, and watching her breakdown shortly after for a cause that she herself didn't know?

Or was it my dad who from the time I could interpret speech had told me, I was a worthless, dumb, waste of space that no one needed? And after he told me that many times repeated sentence would order me to go and get him another beer before I 'knew what was good for me'.

Or rather was it Ichigo? The one I least expected to hurt me…I'd given my heart, my body, my _life _to him and he didn't want it in the end. Maybe I'm just not the kind of girl who people consider a beautiful person or that one in a million soul with a precious gift that blesses everyone who is touched by them. In the grand scheme of things maybe I'm just a cheap waste of space that no one needed like my dad had always told me. A cheap, unwanted, used divorcee with nothing but baggage to offer.

Surely Ulquiorra didn't want that. Surely he was confused. Maybe he'd hit his head and thought I was another person, like Rukia…Oh wow _like Rukia_. She was beautiful by all standards, without worry of belly-fat and stretch marks or budgets or an embarrassing history with screwed up parents and a dead brother. Rukia's brother was still alive too wasn't he? No wonder Ichigo chose her over someone…someone like _me._

Oh but the saddest part about it was that I wanted Ulquiorra. I did. But I couldn't see how in the end it was a fair trade.

How could someone with so much to offer want someone with so little in return?

I shook my head taking a deep sigh. I hated days when these inward insecurities seemed to be brought into the forefront of my mind from something as simple and normal as a check-up from a lawyer. It was pathetic and weak and unhelpful and…my phone was buzzing.

I got up wearily from my perch on the couch and went to investigate. It was a message from Ulquiorra.

_Coffee on Tuesday?_

_-Ulquiorra_

I felt my fingers shaking uncertainly over the pads inscribed by letters of the phones keyboard but reluctantly typed back:

_Sounds great! Let's meet at 4!_

_-Orihime_

When would Ulquiorra realize that I didn't have anything to offer him? When would he find his own Rukia? When would he see that I was nothing extraordinary?

Feeling a hard compact ball start to form in the pit of my stomach I dialed Tatsuki's number and quickly pressed call hoping she would pick up.

"_Hello?"_ she answered in a questioning voice.

"Tatsuki-chan. It's Orihime!" I said trying to sound like I wasn't forcing my pleasant tone.

"_What's up?" _she said casually I could hear the faint sound of a ball smacking against a wall in the background. She was probably practicing her skills even on her vacation.

"Do you think you could come over here tonight? Um, just for a little while even if you can't stay that's okay I wouldn't want to get in the way of you and Chad's-"she cut me off with a voice that I knew all too well.

"_Is something wrong?" _She knew something was up. She had to know. She had some sort of sixth sense when it came to that.

"N-Not at all!" I lied.

"…" There was a long pause.

"Tatsuki-chan?" I asked, trying to lift up my phone higher thinking I might have lost a connection through the heavy downpour outside.

"_Chad has a match tonight at 6 but after that I'll be there okay?"_ She said hesitantly as if trying to assess 'is this a I need to come over right now because your crying in the closet sort of deal?' distress call or a 'you need me but it can wait' kind of signal.

"Okay." I said as reassuringly as possible and hung up the phone and set it aside, feeling the need to shower. Tatsuki would tell me what to do. She always knew what to do when I started feeling this way.

* * *

It was late morning when Gin Ichimaru had finally roused from the warmth and comfort of his bed. He was silent as he rose from the soft surface, so as not to disturb the woman turned onto her side, fast asleep with hair splayed across the mattress in soft strawberry curls. The comforter was slipping off of her bare shoulder to expose the smooth skin of her back. His eyes traced the indented line in the middle caused by her spine with curious eyes.

He thought about using a feather – of which he kept several hidden in various places around their house – and tickling that taunting skin to see how she would react. Would she laugh so hard that she'd fall face first on the floor? Or would she blow it off as a shiver and huddle into those covers further for warmth from the chilling air of the bedroom? A wicked grin formed on his face as he decided against the notion, not wanting to add any more bruises to the growing number across his body from her previous tantrums from pranking her.

No, he'd let her sleep this time. After all he had work to do…work he couldn't tell her about; and if she woke up now she'd ask him again for answers he couldn't tell her, she'd wrap those dangerous arms around him and tell him she wished he could stay longer, and as he would retreat to the door she'd grab his hand and look at him with _those eyes_ full of tears and beg him 'stay with me, Gin'. Therefore the best way to avoid that conflict with Ran was to leave when she was asleep, which was often. He moved to pull on his normal attire, a grey suit and sunglasses. He didn't need them necessarily, but they provided the best way to go about staring at people as inconspicuously as possible.

Once he'd splashed water on his face and stuck a dried persimmon from the stash Ran kept for him in a fruit bowl in his mouth, he took one last glance toward the bedroom and reminded himself for who he was doing this for. And then he waked out the door cursing himself for knowing what she would be doing when she woke up, searching for him.

It didn't take long for him to get to the hospital, it wasn't far from where he and Ran lived. He walked past the oblivious nurses and toward the office upstairs originally made to be used by the chief of medicine, Szayel Aporro Granz. But because Sosuke Aizen was his boss, he'd moved into some other dimly lit area of this sterile facility.

He opened the door wearing the same plastered on grin that hid from everyone, even that man sitting in front of him, his true intentions.

He walked towards the desk equipped with a laptop and pencil cup greeting the man with a,

"Mornin' Dr. Aizen." And then he took his seat facing towards the same door his supposed 'boss' was.

"Likewise, Gin." He replied suavely using that same uncomfortable pleasantness he always did.

If there was any person in the world that knew more about this cold-hearted bastard than him…well…he didn't want to meet that person.

"What's on the agenda today, sir?" he replied with rehearsed interest. He knew everything from the man's social security number to what kind of hair gel he used every morning. After all, if he was going to be a private investigator he had to be thorough.

"Your task today will be to order these patient files from A to Z." he said dropping the pile of manila folders onto his desk with ease.

"Sure thing, sir!" he replied, and added a salute to his act to make it all the more convincing. Aizen didn't sit down instead he began to walk towards the door.

"Where ya goin' sir?" he asked eyes narrowing as he stared the name of a patient on the folder.

"I am going to _check on_ a few things." He didn't like the way that sounded. The sinister emphasis behind his words left Gin unable to concentrate. As soon as he was sure that the slick haired man was gone he pressed the send button on his pager to alert Detective Kira that he needed to be followed.

This elaborate plan to catch Aizen had been one of which he'd formulated since he was seven years old when Ran had told him about what happened.

He'd gone through numerous hoops just to get to where he was now, working as an agent for the government to catch criminals who were a step above the rest.

Playing a part was something he was good at, whether it was the least suspicious assistant in a hospital or expert interrogator.

There was a reason a guy like Aizen had been able to make it out of prison and abuse the public freely without being caught.

Aizen was smart, cold, psychotic, and always one step ahead of you no matter how far ahead you think you planned.

And it was that singular fact that made him so dangerous.

When he'd been given this case he was shocked to find out just what kind of mastermind that Aizen truly was.

Allegations arose about him molesting young girls not even in their teens when he was in his early twenties and it wasn't until he left one sloppy detail on his first rape of a minor that he was able to be charged with sexual assault.

One singular hair had been left on the young terrified girl. He remembered the picture of the bruises covering her arms and thighs that left him too overcome with anger to speak. He hid his rage behind a smile, his best defense, and continued on.

When in prison Aizen had managed to charm the warden, Kaname Tousen, into believing he was truly innocent through his deceptive wordplay and psychological cages claiming he had been framed for the charge. The warden pretended to be astonished that someone had escaped his yard. A yard which had never been breached and not one criminal had ever gotten close to without getting a mouth full of bullets.

Aizen managed to fly under the radar by changing his last name to Yara but he didn't evade the eye of the government for long. His second mistake was marrying the foreign emigrant Momo Hinamori. A young Canadian with dark raven hair and a kind heart whom Gin had come to think was a perfectly pleasant woman.

The poor girl was completely oblivious to her husband's schemes. Another 5 rapes had occurred between that time yet Aizen had grown aware of how to clean up his act. There hadn't been enough evidence yet again to convict him.

Aizen's third mistake was the murder of Ayaka Atsushi, the late mother of Ulquiorra Cifer. Gin found it interesting that Ulquiorra never disclosed this information to anyone in their small group save for Grimmjow who had fallen victim too, to Aizen. Through his henchman Nnoitra Gilga, a known sexual predator, Nnoitra made a ploy to take Neliel originally, unaware that he had done Aizen a favor of sorts by killing their leading back-up, the captain of the police force. Of course none of them knew this. However, Gin wondered how much Ulquiorra new about the ties between his past and Aizen's. He had executed his dear mother for her heavy inheritance which he managed to acquire after tampering with the woman's will yet for some odd reason he left Ulquiorra alive, a living witness. Maybe he thought that the boy would never recount the murder, given his young age. Or maybe he believed himself an untouchable God with the power to control the people around him to his liking.

Aizen then with the money from the life insurance opened a new hospital, the very one that Gin was sitting in now. And with that managed to cover-up any 'accidents' that happened on the premises giving him full reign over terrorizing his patients.

But the fourth and most crucial mistake Aizen made – the one that would be his undoing – was repetition.

Aizen had an M.O. He went after red-haired females, of any age, with curvy figures.

This led Gin to believe that the only way to catch Aizen and convict him, was to expose him in the act. Luckily it was believed Aizen had found his next target. Unluckily that target was believed to be Orihime Inoue.

Orihime of course was oblivious to the importance of her role in this massive case. But her naivety was exactly what he needed. The entire scheme would fall through if anyone he was personally attached to was aware and or told about the plot, if that happened the case would be discarded and labeled as a 'conflict of interest' and Aizen would go free, again.

He wasn't about to let that happen. He would get it back. He would take back what Aizen had stolen from Ran. He would get the justice and voice she never had. The public would believe her, anyone who didn't could just go and jump of a cliff. But he couldn't stand to watch her cry anymore.

Her face…stained with tears and fear hidden behind wet lashes that her abuser still lurked behind every shadow was enough to make him allow her to doubt his feelings to attain her justice, as well as the other victims.

He would act as a snake in the grass. Hidden in the green blades until the most opportune moment, and then when the time was right he would swallow him whole.

* * *

"What the hell…"

Ichigo fumbled with the small letter addressed to him as he tried to make sense of the documents it contained: divorce papers. The pink note attached said please sign and mail and then it left the address of what he knew to be his law firm. This was crazy surely Orihime hadn't…okay it wasn't crazy…But this notice felt so…so…_sharp_. Like a hit in the gut that you hadn't prepared to take. He knew he was supposed to sign it. That was his job right? If this was what Orihime wanted then who was he to take anything else away from her?

But his hand just wouldn't move. The muscles refused to contract and the pen fell from his shaking fingers with a small clack on the granite table.

Did she really want it to end like this? Without another word? Without even understanding his position?

He shook his head and backed away from the papers feeling as if they were somehow alive with the way they seemed to be gripping his lungs and squeezing the life out of them.

He needed some air. No, he needed something to drink. It was about five anyway and he'd gotten off work a little early that day anyway, so what was the harm? He strolled towards the familiar pub that he went to on weekends and opened the door to the dim establishment.

He took a seat on his normal stool and waited for Shuuhei to attend him but after waiting for several minutes he raised his head and took in his surroundings. Shuuhei was talking to another customer who he couldn't see through the blonde woman sitting at his side. He leaned back and his gaze widened at the sight, there was Rangiku Matsumoto, the one and only.

He quickly ducked back down, fearing the red-head saw him. He wasn't afraid of Rangiku but he knew more than most that she had a wicked back-hand and he wasn't necessarily in a position to get chatty with her.

He watched Shuuhei's expression to figure out what they were talking about. It seemed like a fairly light conversation, after all Shuuhei was laughing…wait, Shuuhei was laughing? Wait was that…was he blushing?

"Yo, Ichigo. The usual?" He nodded finding it strange that rangiku was here of all places at 5 in the evening. Wasn't Gin back? As risky and paranoid as he felt he decided to take another glance in the strawberry-blonde's direction, but what he saw when he looked at her was not the confident oppositional woman he knew. She wasn't even acting like her normal seducing self. She had her arms crossed in front of her, her elbows leaning on the bar. Her hair fell slightly to cover her eyes from his observation but her mouth was down-turned into a frown. She looked really, sad.

"Here you go, one draft beer." Shuuhei said setting the overflowed mug in front of him. He tipped the man and picked up the glass fearing his next move might leave him missing a couple teeth.

But he couldn't sit only a few feet away from the woman without at least attempting to understand why she looked so forlorn.

"Hey, Rangiku." The blonde raised her head her ice-blue eyes blood-shot and red. She looked pitiful. But the sadness he saw in her glance quickly faded into anger as she took in who had spoken to her.

"You should leave, Ichigo. I'm not in the mood to deal with you right now." He hesitated slightly but when she made no move to stop him he took a seat beside her.

"Look I know I'm not your favorite person-"

"Favorite doesn't begin to describe it." She glared at the wooden counter in front of her, refusing to look him in the eye.

"You…are _despicable_." He winced and turned deciding not to look at her.

"I'm sorry…" he could see her eyes narrow.

'I'm sorry for whatever made you cry, Rangiku." And with that he thought it best, having completed what he set out to do, to leave her alone. He took another sip of his drink and laid the empty glass on the table and left some money next to Rangiku.

He didn't need a drink as badly as she did.

"Ichigo." He stopped and turned back to her. She still had her head slumped against the counter.

"Thank you." And with that he left the bar and felt, for the first time in a while, like a respectable human being. It was nice to finally do something right instead of wrong.

He then remembered there was one other thing he could do on his way back to his home. He took a different route than normal and paid a small woman with a head rag for some pale blue lilacs and headed towards a street light a couple blocks south. When he found the spot he set the old vase upright and placed the flowers inside next to the picture of the teenage girl already against the street light. He admired the vigil and then went on his way muttering a small prayer for the girl that died there.

He wasn't sure what had started to compel him to start doing it a few years back but he did, and he enjoyed the peace of mind it gave him, knowing he'd honored the dead.

Finally with his heart somewhat uplifted by the deeds he'd done, Ichigo went home with a slight smile across his normally severe features.

* * *

"Good evening Mashiro-chan! Do I have any mail?" I greeted the green-haired receptionist with a nervous smile. She looked really pretty, like a lot prettier than normal. Her hair was more bouncy and I could see the pink tinge of lip gloss coating her plump lips. Her outfit, though the same, seemed more pressed and tidy as well. Was she going somewhere?

"Oh! Orihime-chan! Yes you might have some check the boxes over there!" I looked to where she was pointing feeling utterly inferior in my shorts and a sweatshirt. I walked towards the shelf of mail and began searching for the I's while I heard the faint yet constant click and unclick of a pen.

"Mashiro-chan, is everything okay?" she didn't seem to hear me and continued clicking her pen. I stood up from my ridiculous pose of bending over with my head tilted to the side and faced her.

"Mashiro-chan." She looked up from her zoned out stare and shook her head dropping the pen altogether.

"Sorry Orihime-chan!" she said wringing her hands together slightly.

"Is something wrong?" she looked away from me a slight visible blush coloring her saddened features.

"M-My boyfriend and I got into a fight earlier today…I'm afraid that he might not want to see me again." I left my post and walked over towards the desk feeling a twinge of empathy for her. Mashiro was always kind to me whenever I walked in the door, the least I could do was try and return the favor for once.

"I'm sure he'll come back for you, who wouldn't?" she didn't look quite convinced that I was telling the truth.

"You look really pretty though so even if he doesn't I'm sure a lot of guys are interested in you." She smiled half-heartidly.

"I look nice?" I nodded and she perked up to her normal bubbly level and then all in an instant panic spread over her face as she gazed at the doorway.

I followed her line of sight and saw a burly rough looking man with pale bleach white hair and muscular arms that would put half of the Karakura men to shame. This must've beeen her boyfriend if the fixated glare on Mashiro wasn't a good enough give-away.

I quickly scurried back to the mail post and peeked out of the side of my eye trying to blend in with the background.

"K-Kensei, you're sopping wet." Mashiro said timidly.

"Tch, quit looking at me like that idiot." He said in a deep gruff voice.

"Like what?!" she asked defensively raising her hands in accusation.

"Like you're afraid of me!" he shouted back. I could see Mashiro puffing out her cheeks and him scowling down at her seated in her little swiveling chair.

"I'm not afraid of you stupid Kensei." She muttered looking away from him. He looked somewhat relieved and came closer to her leaning over the desk with his soaked gloved fists clenched on the side of the desk.

"Then what are you afraid of?" I watched completely engrossed in their conversation. It was like a scene out of a movie! The guy chases after the girl in the rain! It was a classic move that everyone wanted to have happen to them. But unlike the movies what happened next was sincere. A unique form of romance that every couple has. But I had to admit I was totally rooting for Kensei in Mashiro's little love bubble.

"I'm afraid of losing you…" she said it super quiet but I heard it and creepily watched to see Kensei's reaction. His eyes widened and then he scowled making a 'tch' sound and knocked a burly fist on top of Mashiro's head causing her to wince.

"Idiot, let's go." I could see the color in his cheeks even though Mashiro couldn't and silently did a happy fist pump as Mashiro scrambled around her desk.

"B-But Kensei! I'm not off work yet!" she complained.

"When do you get off?" she checked the clock.

"Fifteen minutes!" he strode towards the door.

"I'll be waiting on you outside." I heard Mashiro settle back into her chair with a 'huff' and scurried toward the desk.

"Thank you Orihime, I'm really happy you told me what you did before he came! I'm not sure if I would have been able to sleep if you didn't say something." she was smiling again, and she really was cute.

"Haha you'll have to keep me updated on what happens next." I said, sending her a suggestive wink and heading toward the elevator without my mail which I had initially set out for. Oh well, it could wait until tomorrow.

"S-Sure!" she said a darker crimson shade settling over her rosy cheeks.

I leaned back into the cool metal wall of the box and let out a sigh, once the doors to the elevator shut. Would I ever have someone chase me in the rain?

I made my way through the maze of doors until I found mine.

I quickly unlocked the door to my apartment slipping inside and plopped down onto the couch staring at the ceiling feeling lousy. It was already eight and Tatsuki still hadn't shown up.

I wonder…_knock, knock, knock!_

I yawned and moved toward the door and opened to see none other than an out of breath Tatsuki Arisawa holding an industrial sized tube of red bean paste in one hand and the movie Mean Girls in the other.

"Am I late?"

* * *

Orihime was not acting like herself. She was spacey, distant, and too nervous to be…herself. Normally when Tatsuki would come over she would be more relaxed than she would alone. They had always been comfortable around each other and able to tell each other anything…**except**, when Orihime got like this.

She would clam up, shut her mouth and forget the only person that would always have her back and could and that she could confess anything to was sitting right at her side. But luckily Tatsuki knew exactly how to handle this side of her best friend.

She would have to wear her down, stuff loads of food into her, and watch a few classics and then when she was at her most exhausted press her for answers as to why she was being so strange.

She pondered why the red-head was acting this way. Was it something like Sora? No, she would have said so from the start. Was it maybe Ichigo? He in times past usually could somehow manage to stick her in the doldrums, but something told her that it wasn't him either.

"So why the sudden call for help?" she asked studying her friend closely. The girl didn't waver and continued to shove sweet bread with slathered on red paste into her mouth.

"Oh, you know I just felt like it!" That was a lie.

"Have you heard from Renji lately?" she twitched an eyebrow.

"No, why is he okay?" she asked looking away from the brain-frying screen of the television.

"He called me the other day and said that you should go and see Ichigo, something about understanding this or that. I don't know I can never understand that punk." Orihime looked at the carpet with a tight-lined expression her hair covering her silver eyes from Tatsuki's scrutiny.

"Yeah…you know I've been meaning to go and see him." Now it was Tatsuki's turn to raise an eyebrow.

"Who? Renji?" she shook her head standing and moving towards the kitchen, her back to Tatsuki.

"No, Ichigo." And with that Tatsuki was on her feet as well following her friend into the small area that smelled distinctly of pancakes.

"Really? I thought you were done with him?" she pressed further seeing her friend suddenly stop.

"Yeah…"she said softly.

"I did too." Tatsuki moved toward the auburn-haired girl slowly certain that she was about to let it all out. Before she came any closer though Orihime slid a file of papers onto a nearby counter, Tatsuki scanned the contents and realized exactly what they were. In bold blac in they were entitled: Divorce and Annulment Agreement.

"Oh Orihime…" she saw the girl recoil and turn her back to face the window on her balcony.

"I-I knew I would have to do this so I'm not upset…b-but…" She began to shake her hands flying up to catch stray tears.

"What if I'm not good enough for anyone else Tatsuki-chan? What if I'm not…I'm not…" she sobbed. Tatsuki moved toward her spinning the girl around and pulling her into a tight embrace trying to communicate through her affection just how important she was in her life.

"You don't actually think that do you?" Orihime sniffled in response nodding her head up and down.

"You dummy, just because someone who can't see past his own hair didn't comprehend the magnitude of what you have to offer doesn't mean someone else won't." orihimecontinued to shiver.

"I know Tatsuki but what if the person I want to understand doesn't see it?" Tatsuki felt a small bittersweet smile tug at her lips. She had a feeling now of whom Orihime was referring to.

"Does this have anything to do with Ulquiorra?" Her friend buried her tear-streaked face into her hands but the obvious signs pointed to her that yes, this was about Ulquiorra.

"Orihime if you don't believe me you should ask him yourself." Truthfully she couldn't understand how someone so utterly pure and drop-dead gorgeous could ever doubt herself in the eyes of others. But everyone had their own flaws and Orihime's happened to be doubting her own worth and use.

Of course this wasn't all her fault, the many men and others in her life had shaped her insecurity. But the question now was:

Would she choose someone with the capability of getting it through her thick skull that she was more than just a waste of space?


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Thank you everyone so much for over 100 reviews! I never imagined hitting that but here we are, and I'm so happy! :-) I really hope you have fun with today's update and as always reviews are welcomed and appreciated! Enjoy!**

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**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any other copyrighted material.**

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**Lie To Me Chpt. 19**

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"I never thought I'd be sitting here like this you know."

Neliel sat at the foot of a head stone entitled with the name of her deceased husband, bouncing Akio Jeagerjacques on one knee and letting Kagura suck on her finger while cradled in her other arm.

"You'd probably tell me I'm being a crazy, talking to a rock and thinking you can hear me, but I want to believe that you can." She said looking at the half-way wilted flowers resting just beneath the golden badge engraved into the stone.

"You know they're both about three weeks old now, and I can already tell how much each of them are like you." She smiled at Akio, who was making absent-minded 'ahh's' that reverberated with each bounce of her leg.

"Akio already has blue hair, or I guess I should call it fuzz, I can't imagine what his teachers will think of him when he starts classes." She eyed the thin tousled azure strands adorning her son's head and then looked back to the flowers.

"He's got your, well…everything. I think he's going to look exactly like you when he's older. And Kagura, she'll be happy that she won't have to worry about her father shooting up the town when she hits puberty. She has your eyes, but for the most part looks like me unfortunately." Neliel laughed and then stood placing a sleeping Kagura into the purple stroller and fastening her straps while trying to keep Akio from gnawing on her hand into a bloody stump. She then sat back down pulling the stroller into sight to keep an eye on her unconscious infant.

"Akio never sleeps," she said exasperated, shifting him so that he could tug on the ends of her hair instead. She'd begun to grow it back out as a sign that she still had faith that things were going to turn out just fine. Grimmjow had lived for the most part on his own, and she had learned quite a few things about the independent life from him.

"Another trait he inherited from you I guess." She recalled when they'd first moved in together fresh out of high school and how nomadic he'd been. It was almost like having to tame a feral cat. He had claws and teeth until she'd managed to domesticate his wild nature. Though he did reserve many of his unbreakable attributes in other areas. And she was thankful for the lessons he'd taught her. And if worst came to worst she would move back to France and go back to live with her mother and father who she'd deserted in an attempt to make a life for herself outside of dancing in her mother's prestigious studio. She'd always been a beautiful dancer, and that was actually what had allowed her to travel to Japan and meet Grimmjow. She hadn't just been brought up here or born into a terrible family like most of her friends were strangely enough. No, she came from money, a lot at that. And though she knew her parents loved her, she also knew a life in Paris was not the life for her. But if it came down to it she would do whatever it took to keep her children healthy and safe. And if living a life of flashy dance recitals and elegant gowns meant her children could have those basic needs…well there could be worse things.

"Sometimes I wonder what you would've done…if it had been me instead of you." She said running a thumb across the blue puffs adorning Akio's head.

"You know, I really miss you Grimm…" she said softly almost afraid to say it aloud. Those words held so much weight with them, that she felt, if spoken too loudly they could crush her with the force behind their heartfelt conviction.

She tore her eyes away from the grave and looked at her child instead forcing back her morphing expression in an attempt to keep from allowing her grief to get the better of her. Grimmjow wouldn't have wanted her to cry in front of him, he didn't like it when she did. In her hands she held a little piece of him. A small fraction of his blood ran in her sons veins. He would grow up to be strong and handsome and protective just like his father. Akio patted his chubby fingers on her cheeks making incoherent noises and grumbles with a dead-set serious expression on his face. Nel smiled at him swiping her eyes across his miniature features once again and then leaning back to her stroller to pull out a new bouquet. This one had lilies, white ones with a sophisticated curve to the petals.

"Remember when you first gave me one of these? I was crying over some movie and you picked up one of these and said "'stop yer cryin', here, girls like flowers don't they?'" Nel laughed and removed the wilting flowers leftover from the funeral and sat the pale assortment down on the smooth rock. She then stood and strapped a struggling Akio who began to cry in irritation into his seat beside his sister.

"I wish you could see them…" she used a hand to push the stroller back and forth to appease the grumbling child in the cart.

"Oh no…" she said covering her eyes. She could feel the hot liquid lurking beneath her fingers.

"I'm about to make you upset, aren't I, Grimm?" she said trying to make herself laugh so that she wouldn't end up sniveling. She kept running over the scenarios in her head where she could have done something differently. Where she could have changed the outcome somehow.

If she had been stronger, if she had just run away…would he still be alive?

"I'm sorry…I know it's not my fault…" she said in hushed broken syllables. She took a few deeps breathes and slowly unlatched her hand from her face and returned it to grip the stroller handle. She would not cry here.

When she opened her eyes she saw Akio and Kagura poking their heads from around the stroller to stare at her both of their eyes resembling his. Akio mumbled something incomprehensible and Kagura began to cry her fat lip trembling. Neliel laughed and wiped her eyes.

"You guys I'm alright, don't cry Kagura, Mommy's okay." She cooed and bent down in front of Kagura holding her stubby hands in hers. She began singing 'Hush, Little Baby' and slowly she began to smile her goofy toothless smile while Akio frowned.

She smiled and stood again taking another longing look at Grimmjow's plot, knowing with these two looking after her she would be okay.

* * *

I sighed nervously beating the dough with a rolling stick feeling my racing pulse as I sunk my hands into the gooey substance. I was supposed to meet Ulquiorra at 3 for coffee. And what was I supposed to ask him? If he really wanted to do this? I mean, I hadn't even talked to Ichigo yet. I needed to do that first didn't I?

"Orihime-chan!" I dropped the floured yeast and looked up.

"Yes?" Atsushi stood at the doorway of the kitchen a phone with a chord attached in hand. They really needed to update their communication system.

"You've got a call from some guy." I scrunched my eyebrows together. Who was it?

"Coming! Oh, I'm sorry do you think you could take over? I'll run the front once I finish this if that's alright." He nodded smiling assuring me not to apologize for something so simple.

I walked into a separate room, keeping my eyes on the lobby of the store and slowly made the phone cord less tight by coming closer to its perch. I pressed it to my ear.

"Hello?" I said tentatively.

"_Ms. Inoue, I am terribly sorry to inconvenience you like this during work hours."_ So it was Ulquiorra!

"Oh, Ulquiorra-kun! No it's no trouble, is something wrong?" there was a brief pause and she heard him speaking to someone on the other side.

"_Again, forgive me. But I was calling to tell you, much to my dismay, I will not be able to attend coffee this afternoon." _Though I was sure I would have felt relief by his cancellation, I felt oddly upset at his words. I hadn't seen him or really spoken to him in a couple days. It had been an unusually busy week.

"Oh…that's too bad." I said trying to make sure it sounded like it was okay and wasn't kind of put out.

"_Perhaps we could reschedule for dinner tomorrow?"_ He asked in the same inconclusive voice that never gave away his emotion. Maybe this was the universe telling me to go and finalize things with Ichigo, tie up my loose ends. I wondered what he would think if something went wrong…I wonder if he would take it as a sign of reluctance. After all though he may not give anything away expression wise, Ulquiorra was incredibly skeptical.

"Tomorrow sounds great, actually there's um…there's something I need to do today." There was another long pause, but this time it was silent on the other end. I cleared my suddenly dry throat.

"I'm going to see Ichigo." he took another millisecond and then spoke.

"_I see, will this be affecting our plans then?" _He definitely suspected something.

"N-No! Ulquiorra-kun it's not like that! I just need to clear up a few things and that's all." I said feeling my hands turn colder every second he declined to speak.

"_Alright then. I'll see you tomorrow, Ms. Inoue." _I couldn't see his face but I could hear the faint hesitancy in his voice. I imagined he was going over the chances that I might abandon him and jump ship with Ichigo, maybe he was hoping for that. Oh, God this feeling just wouldn't stop making me feel completely wimpy and dependent. I hated that.

"Yes, I'll see you tomorrow Ulquiorra-kun." I said hanging up the phone just as I heard the chime of the bell attached to the front door of the bakery to alert the clerks when a customer walked in.

Two men were inside the lobby eyeing the different desserts and pastries. One was almost overwhelmingly tall wearing a white V-neck t-shirt and jeans with a black unzipped hoodie. His hood was almost comically large and made his slender form look like a large spoon. The other was surprisingly short. Shorter than me, which was quite the feat considering my height. He wore a white turtle neck that fit his physique to the extreme and black dress pants that flared over his sheik black shoes. His style made me raise an eyebrow but I said nothing.

"I must say Nnoitra I can definitely tell this is a small-town bakery shop. Everything looks so _cheap_." I narrowed my eyes. Couldn't he see I was standing right here? If granny came out here she'd be heartbroken. Why would he say something so rude?

He looked in my direction and sashayed toward me his black bobbed hair bouncing as he came near. He had really aggravatingly and admittedly pretty lavender colored irises and a pink star stamped underneath his left eye on his cheek, which only accentuated his eyes even more.

"Tell me girl, what could a place as in shambles as this possibly be paying you?" he smirked, I could smell his cologne clearly as he leaned atop the counter propping his chin up with his hand and tapping his finger against his cheek.

"I'd rather not say, sorry sir." He scoffed and walked toward the door stopping to glare at his associate.

"Nnoitra how long are you going to look around this dump before you decide on something? I can feel the grime ruining my shoes as we speak." The man said crossing his arms and sticking a hip out in frustration. Though he was irritating and incredibly rude, his annoying aura was nothing compared to this Nnoitra guys. The tall man stood to full height from bending down to look at each treat. He then made a 'tch' sound and began walking toward the counter his face shadowed by his hood.

"Shut up Luppi…" another heavy footfall and I felt myself shrinking in the growing enormity of his shadow.

"You're annoying. And if you don't behave, your shoes aren't what's going to be ruined." Behave? The rasp of his voice sent shivers down my spine. He was probably a smoker if his sputtering cough and deepened voice were any hint.

"Hello, _girl_." He said as I clasped my hands together behind me to hide the fact that they were shaking. I could see his face now. I had to tilt my head all the way up as if I was looking toward the ceiling just to do so. He had a ghastly smile, an eye patch over one socket, – which only partially hid the marred skin underneath - and his single eye glinted with lust as he bent down closer to me eyeing my chest instead of my face. He had stringy black hair that glinted in the fluorescent lights with grease. That amber eye made me want to duck underneath the counter and hide until he took the hint and left. Looking into this man's terrifying gaze made my throat constrict uncomfortably. It felt like there was scythe looming next to my neck and that at any unknown moment it would cut me to ribbons. I all but forgot about the other man until he said:

"What's the matter girl, are you just going to stand there all day?" I knew that I had to respond as much as I didn't want to.

"C-Can I get you anything?" I said feeling the fear accumulate from his unwavering stare and smile.

"I'll take the sweetest thing you've got to offer, girl." I nodded suddenly wishing for someone else to walk in. Atsushi was in the back surely if I screamed he would hear. He wasn't necessarily huge but I was sure he could fend off someone lanky like this guy.

I reached for a paper bag and walked toward the cupcake selection keenly aware of the eye trailing after me, biting my lip to conceal my unrest. I frantically looked over the array of spongy chocolate and vanilla swirled frosting and picked out chocolate cupcake with matching buttercream frosting and a cherry pressed onto the top, I grabbed a tong and slid the desert into my palm and placed it in a tiny little pink box with the Sweet n' Treats logo on it and plopped it into the bag. That smile still hadn't left the man's mouth as I placed the bag as close to the edge of the counter as I could without it dropping onto the floor.

"You know I like that look you got in your eyes girl. Kinda like the way a pet should look at its master." I felt sick to my stomach. Just what kind of agenda did Nnoitra have with me?

"500 yen…" I managed and held out my hand. He fished around in his pocket and dropped the bill and coins into my hand, his spindling fingers lingering over my palm. I quickly retracted the money and dropped it into the register. He smiled again grabbing his bag and turning towards the door.

"Keep the change." He rasped and exited his scoffing acquaintance in tow. I inhaled a few short, quick breathes extremely relieved to be alone without Nnoitra's towering presence. I guess this could be taken as a reminder that I needed to be careful. After all you could never be too careful.

I looked at the clock above the scones. I had a little while before I got off work. I guess today was the day to go and see Ichigo. Tomorrow was the last day I had told my lawyer I would be bringing in the papers. Ukitake-san wouldn't be too happy if I didn't make good on that promise. I was hesitant to visit Ichigo though. Not only because there was a good chance I'd end up in tears but also because he was more of a threat in the back of my mind now than someone I trusted and felt safe with. And I didn't have Ulquiorra at my side this time if he went into a frenzy again. Well then again I wasn't completely helpless. I did take self-defense classes in high school in order to ensure my safety living alone. But if it really came down to it I wasn't sure if I could hurt Ichigo in that way. He wasn't someone I trusted necessarily but he was…someone who I had a history with. A very deep personal history, that made the thought of barging in unannounced enough to cause my chest to warp in weird ways.

I wonder where he stood with Rukia nowadays. Were they still together? Or were they ever together in the first place? I tapped my foot absentmindedly against the bottom counter, eyeing the sweets engulfing me. Things had never been slow like this at the hospital. And I had never been so tempted to eat so many desserts. Working at a bakery made me actually watch my weight. I wondered where everyone was. I couldn't see any people walking on the streets and now that I thought about it the back was strangely silent. No screeching furnaces or roaring ovens.

"Hey Orihime-chan!" Oh thank God. For a second I was considering that robots had taken over the world finally. No one believed me but I was right it would happen just watch. Okay, maybe I needed to stop watching scary movies.

"Yes? Atsushi-san?" I called back. Making my way toward the back to witness a very focused Atsushi, covered in smears of flour, trying to ice each cupcake in utter perfection. He rose and looked me in the eye.

"I hate to ask you this but is it possible you could work a little bit longer today?" he had a nervous smile planted on his face and looked paler than normal.

"Actually I can! Why? Did something happen?" I asked leaning over the preparation table to glance at him seriously. He gulped and continued frosting.

"Well not exactly, it's just I've got a date tonight. And I don't wanna take her out looking like this you know." He laughed but looked still as if he was drowning in stress. I took the frosting bag from his tense grip and began doing it for him. He was making a mess of it anyway.

"Thanks." He said.

"What's she like?" I asked happy to hear Atsushi was doing well in the aspects of love.

"Well, she loves to cook which is something we've got in common. Actually I met her during cooking class. But that's not really why I like her…" I smiled. Further intrigued.

"What's the reason then, Atsushi-san?" he looked toward the windows in view from the back.

"Her smile…it's uh…it's pretty cute." He blushed scratching the back of his head biting his lip in heated memory.

"God, that sounded pathetic." he sighed.

"What's her name?" I smiled.

"Yuzu. Yuzu Kurosaki." I gagged on my own tongue.

"Orihime-chan? Orihime-chan? Are you alright?" He asked patting my back in an attempt to help while I gained control of my convulsing throat.

"S-Sorry. Sorry, it's nothing!" How weird. I thought while still reassuring my coworker that I was fine. What a coincidence maybe the universe really **was** trying to tell me something.

* * *

After Atsushi left the old woman still hadn't returned so when four' o clock came and passed I locked up the bakery and closed the shop. It was a little early to close but it would be alright. I went to my apartment and changed out of my work clothes and put on something far dressier than I normally wore while out but there was something about looking nice that gave a girl more confidence. Like when taking tests in high school I would always spend some extra time, when I could have been catching z's, on my hair and make-up. It wasn't much but I always did well on tests. Maybe the same principal could apply here.

I looked into the mirror gazing at the reflection in the silver surface. Hair in its proper place, lips coated with gloss, and eyelashes blackened. I picked up my purse that had been laid on the counter and then opened up a junk droor in the kitchen counter. It held miscellaneous things like paper clips, hair ties, and yes, the keys to Ichigo and I's…no, just Ichigo's apartment.

This was all so familiar. It had been awhile since I'd been here obviously but it made the scenery all the more sentimental. I gazed over the picture frames that were devoid of any smiling photos. Ichigo must have taken them out. Everything was in pristine condition still, even after all this time. I scanned over the couch sitting down on it briefly to remember what it felt like the sink into the cushions. It felt a lot like coming home after a long trip even though this wasn't home anymore. It definitely smelled like Ichigo had been the only one here.

I stood up and kept on looking around the apartment taking a casual glance at the clock to see how long I had before he got home. Usually it was about fifteen minutes after work ended when he would arrive. He, like everyone else, got off work at five. 4:53. I had about twenty or so minutes. I made my way toward the bathroom. The shattered mirror from his previous rampage had been replaced with a sheen looking circular one. All of anything that I had left was gone, not that it was worth anything really. I as reluctantly as ever walked into the master bedroom. I smirked upon seeing the scarlet sheets still intact and folded neatly on the bed. Then I saw the boxes. There were several of different sizes filled with two things. My belongings and all of the photos, albums, and videos of Ichigo and me. I wondered if he had been planning to send them to me. Or maybe he would have delivered them personally. I wondered if he knew where I lived.

I started to hear the clicking sounds of the door being opened and I scurried out of the bedroom to the counter and stood beside the island, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible. He was early and my heart was racing from anxiety at seeing this man, whom I had gone through so much with again after so long.

"I swear I locked that." I felt my lungs take a sharp intake of breathe when I heard that familiar rough voice. I took in his appearance. His bright orange hair grabbed my attention first. It was longer than he normally kept it, probably just an inch or so shorter than Ulquiorra's and his clothes weren't ragged like the last few times. They were normal. A suit and tie, tucked in, clean. I couldn't say anything, I couldn't hardly breathe but seeing his appearance eased some of the uneasy feelings clenching inside my stomach.

When he noticed me he froze, I could feel my hands shaking. The door creaked shut and there was nothing except the sounds of our nervous breathing filling the heavy silence. I swallowed looking away from his stare.

"I-I'm sorry to just drop in like this, but there's a few things we need to um…talk about." He still stared and then after a moment of realization that, yes, this was really happening and he needed to wake up and smell the coffee he answered.

"Um…" that was it; that was all he offered.

* * *

Seeing her again was like having a sharp serrated knife press into your gut. Cutting, ripping, and dissecting all the vessels and veins until you were left in nothing except pure utter shock. And every time he closed his eyes the word: divorce, appeared in his mind.

She looked afraid. Was she afraid of him?

Oh god it hurt. It hurt terribly. And it felt like that linear slit in his stomach was causing his insides to fall out into the cold suffocating air.

Ichigo wasn't entirely certain of why her presence felt so horrifically sharp, but it did. And he was struggling to form words to answer her proposal.

She was here for the divorce papers. That had to be why. She probably still had a key, which would explain how she got in.

"I just kind of let myself in, I hope that's not a problem. I'll um leave the key with you." She was still scared, he could sense it in the way she spoke. Ans truth be told he'd been avoiding her, and this confrontation.

He took a breath still staring at her wide silver eyes and alluring auburn hair and smothered his gut reaction.

"You're here for these aren't you?" slowly he shoved a hand into his back pocket pulling the familiar papers out with ease and setting them on the bar while moving near her. He noticed her slight retraction of her steps and the respectful three foot distance she kept between them. He figured it was only natural she would be anxious around him. After all he had showed up to her workplace, drunk, and started a fight with her boss. But there was something about the distance that left him somewhat disappointed.

He knew Orihime, he knew her emotions, her body, and her heart. And when he had been so close to her in times past in all three of those ways it seemed like a thorn in the side almost. A constant reminder of what he gave up on.

"I…yes." She said timidly. He wondered if Ulquiorra was taking care of her now. Hadn't the bastard told him he could do it better than he could anyway?

He unfolded the papers and looked at the blank signatures where both of them were supposed to sign.

"Do you have a pen, Ichigo?" she asked staring at the parchment instead of him. He walked toward his in home office and plucked a black tip ball point pen for use. He set it down beside her. She took the utensil and began signing her name in the same cursive, looped lettering she always did. But instead of putting a heart over her 'I's' in place of the standard dot, she used the small prick of ink. That spoke volumes to how serious she was taking this. It was always the little things with Orihime. The little things he had for so long neglected to look for. How strange that now when it didn't matter he could pick up on them.

She handed him the pen next and he pressed it to the paper, unable to move. The splotch of ink was growing as he continued to keep it there in place.

* * *

"I-Ichigo?" he dropped the pen and ran a hand through his hair. He looked really exhausted all of the sudden.

"I'm sorry I just…feel like a total asshole you know?" I could do nothing except silently agree with his foul description.

"After everything you did to keep me happy, I really feel bad, Inoue." He wore a sad contorted painful smile. It was hard to look at.

"I know. But things always happen for a reason right?" I offered, trying to console the pain inflicted by him.

"Even if they do, it doesn't make it right." He said and then took up the pen again and signed the paper, his hand not faltering anymore.

This was real, this was over now.

"I think I was looking for something in you…and in Rukia…that I could never find." I felt confused.

"What do you mean Ichigo?" he scowled clenching his fisted hand.

"When my mom died I turned to Tatsuki for comfort. I tried to replace the emptiness with friends with video games with anything. But it wasn't enough. It wasn't until you that I thought maybe the pain would go away but it only dulled it. As much as I said I did I didn't love you, Orihime. Not the way I should have. And when Rukia was there…and I was desperate…the pain was only nullified for seconds. But I wanted those seconds…I wanted anything to make it go away. I was deluded and hurt. And it doesn't excuse it." Ichigo's mom. Ichigo's mom…Oh god it all made sense. The gap that his mother left was something only she could fill, something she could only heal. It was obvious as to why he sought out female attention, because that's what he had been denied his whole childhood.

"It doesn't excuse what I said or did. It doesn't excuse the way I came in and nearly cost you your job." How did I not see it? How did I not sense his pain?

"It doesn't excuse what I _took_ from you…" He grabbed my arm and caused me to look into his amber eyes full of regret.

That look was not one of deception in his depths. It was one of repentance.

"I'm sorry Orihime." This wasn't an act to cheat forgiveness out of me. This wasn't an _excuse_. This was a declaration of his true intentions. I gripped his hand pulling it away and brushing a new formed tear aside.

"I know, Kurosaki-kun." He handed me the papers in full agreement at what they would mean. This was his atonement, my chance to be free of the scars he had given me. This was our closure. These words now had no meaning. We were strangers again.

"Inoue." He said quietly sealing our twisted deal as I held the parchment in hand. We looked to each other again sharing the same sorrow-laden smile and in a final act, embraced each other briefly. It resembled a kind of finishing move, like a handshake. We both released one another and I began to walk toward the front door, making sure to leave the key behind.

As I reached the knob I considered turning back to look at him one last time while our emotionally charged atmosphere still settled in the distance between us but I moved forward. My eyes remained on the ground ahead. And I shut the door without the slightest hesitation. There were better things to come or rather…

There was someone better waiting for me.


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: Everyone! I have not forgotten you! Forgive my absence, I have been at several summer camps and whatnot. But I am back with some news. As of now there are about five chapters left in this story plus todays. But there is always the possibility that I may have more or less depending on how my brain decides to cooperate. Also school is almost upon me! Therefore the next update may also take a while. Let me know what you think and enjoy!**

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**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any other copyrighted material.**

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**Lie To Me Chpt. 20**

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"I'm divorced." The sentence was strange coming out of my mouth. The syllables seemed foreign and bizarre and pressed against my tongue in obscure ways. The vocabulary associated in those two short words was one I wasn't acquainted with. But nevertheless the more I began to say it, the more liberated I began to feel.

"I am divorced." At first I said the words softly, like it was too much to take in. The unbelievable power in them was enough to make me sit and stare at the ceiling until I realized the new found freedom held.

No longer was I attached to my twisted high school sweetheart with mommy issues.

No longer was I someone's estranged spouse.

No longer did I have to hold myself away from a dangerous wanting of someone new. The desires of which were as hot as flames, licking at my skin with intense warmth and leaving me in their wake, tortured by their poisonous embers.

Tonight was the night that I could finally start over. Though I did have my own rules. I wasn't necessarily ready to be committed in another sure to be serious relationship, right after getting out of one. I had my boundaries.

I smacked my lips with a satisfying 'pop' as I spread the shining nude pink gloss around my lips. I hoped I didn't look like I was trying too hard…but, then again, was it so wrong to want to go big on a night like tonight? I ran a brush through my long hair to ease any tangles out and then set to curling the ends. It was almost time.

I was wearing a green colored top which Rangiku had loaned me. It was tightly fitted around my chest, which was to be expected since it was Rangiku's. The rest flowed out quite nicely though covering my backside like a mini dress with a cream sweetheart neckline. It showed off a little more than I was used too but it was just skin right? Black tights and shoes came next. Lastly my prized hairpins, which were really useful since bangs – while fashionable – were extremely annoying.

I sighed once done and went to check the time. It was five minutes past six. Ulquiorra was a pretty punctual guy right? I wondered what could be taking him so long.

Another five minutes passed.

Maybe he had just gotten stuck in traffic or had to work a little later than he had first told me. This happened to high-class doctors all the time didn't it? So why did it feel so…rejecting?

Another five minutes.

Maybe I had been right all along. Maybe Ulquiorra really didn't want anything to do with me.

Another five minutes and I got up to go lay down but then my phone buzzed from inside my purse. I pulled the device out and saw it was from the man of the hour. I clicked the accept button and waited for his response.

"_Ms. Inoue?" _he asked in an uncertain voice.

"Ulquiorra-kun! I was starting to get worried, is everything alright?" I heard a clutter followed by a curse and then he answered.

"_Yes, everything is fine but I have a favor I need to ask of you unfortunately." _He sounded genuinely frustrated that he had to inquire something of me.

"Oh, what's that?" I asked somewhat put out already by the fact that he was late.

"_Would you mind meeting me at my apartment instead? I know that sounds perverse but I have something I want to show you. There is a spare key under the floor mat." _Was that a speck of humor I sensed in Ulquiorra's stoic tone?

"It's no problem…um how long will it be until you can meet me?" I asked biting my thumb in anticipation.

"_I will be there very soon, forgive me, but I wish to keep this a surprise." _I narrowed my eyes. What was he up to?

"Alright, don't take too long." I said with somewhat of a warning hinted at in my words.

"_Ms. Inoue, am I usually one to keep you waiting?" _I laughed at his joke and clicked the line off. I headed out the door being sure to lock my apartment behind me.

I wonder what surprise he had in store. Was it a good one or a bad one? The elevator jolted to life and lifted me up a single floor. I waltzed down to Ulquiorra's place and just as he said there was a spare key waiting untouched beneath the welcome mat. I picked up the little silver object and easily slipped into my associate's apartment. I hadn't spent a ton of time here so there were things I'd failed to notice. Like picture standing in solitude on a book shelf near the TV, depicting a younger adorable Ulquiorra cradled in the arms of an older woman with dark hair. Was that a smile on his face? There was a sword hilted on the mantle as well with a green hilt, and even a white porcelain looking mask seated beside it. The mask wasn't frightening necessarily. It was all white and had two almond shaped holes where the eyes could see but no other slits for the nose and mouth. There were two sharp horns at the base of the head and that was about all there was to it. And I couldn't quite place why but staring at it caused a sense of sadness to grip me. There was a card placed in front of it with the word: nihilism, plated in bold black letters on it. It was like the kind of label museums put in front of rare objects. It was peculiar that he of all people owned something like it. I wasn't one for snooping but my curiosity got the better of me and trotted back toward his bedroom, looking over my shoulder to make sure he wasn't standing behind me. I just wanted one quick glance and then I would sit on the couch and wait with my hands in my lap and my gaze set forward.

I opened the cracked door slowly taking in the large room with awe. The bedspread was a dark gray with emerald throw pillows and matching emerald curtains. He really liked green didn't he? There was a dresser in one corner and a desk in the other. I walked in feeling my heart rate quicken at my uncharacteristic rebellious behavior. It smelled a lot like him in here. That clean comforting scent with an underlying authoritative masculinity to it and a hint of latex from his hours at the hospital. I took in a deep breath and felt a blush creep into my cheeks. I really wasn't supposed to be in here!

_Bark! Bark!_

I jolted and looked at the bed, there sat curled into a tight ball, Murciealgo. She sprang up from the covers and jumped off the bed circling around my feet in elated yaps and twirls. I bent down to stroke her furry head.

"Hello! It's been awhile girl!" the canine barked in response her tongue lolling out of her mouth as she panted and then laid on her back with her paws up waiting for me to stroke her soft underside. She had gained some weight. And maybe gained a few inches as well. But she was still a puppy.

"It seems she has grown quite fond of you." I felt my blood chill and my hand froze on the dog's stomach. I turned my head slowly, my face alight in scarlet.

"U-Ulquiorra-kun!" He stood at the doorway a slight smirk on his otherwise straight features and his hands in his pockets as he leaned on the frame, catching me in my attempted peek into his personal space.

"I-I'm sorry! I shouldn't have come in here without your permission, I was just curious…" Oh wow this had to be one of the worst ways to kick off a date. He pushed off the door frame and came to stand over my hunched form outstretching a hand.

"You don't have to apologize Ms. Inoue. I have nothing to hide." Wow, he wasn't angry? I lifted my own hand to grab his, giving Murciealgo one last ruffle and then stood by him.

"Hey." I said shyly suddenly aware I was in a man's apartment, in his bedroom, with no one except his dog with us. He released my hand and used his to tilt my down faced chin toward him.

"Why are you blushing, Orihime?" he asked softly using his thumb to graze my cheek. Sometimes I really wished he didn't pick up on everything. There was no way I could explain my flustered state without sounding like a pervert!

"I-It's nothing!" I said making the mistake of looking into his eyes. They held a satisfied all-knowing tint and I was sure he knew the reason behind my bashful episode without needing an explanation.

"Alright." He lowered his hand and turned to exit the room. I took one last glance around and followed his lead.

"So what's this surprise you have in store for me? That caused you to be so late?" I teased grabbing my purse from the doorway coat rack.

"Ah, if I revealed that to you, it would not be a surprise then." I pouted crossing my arms over my chest. He said nothing as he walked to the door holding it open for me.

"Can I at least have a hint?" he shoved his hands in his pockets as I followed him, not paying attention to the fact that we were heading opposite to where the elevator was. He contemplated whether or not to comply with my request.

"Do you remember that movie we watched in drama class once? The one about the two animals who develop feelings for one another?" I racked my brain to figure out what he was talking about. What movie? Then I noticed we stopped at the fire escape ladder.

"Ulquiorra where are we going?" I asked puzzled as to why he had begun to climb the thing.

"Have a little faith in me, Ms. Inoue." He said offering me a hand yet again to pull me up on the first rung. We climbed the ladder together, me, completely confused and him, completely confident. As he reached the final rung and made it to the roof of the complex he looked back at me who was struggling and helped me out. Of course I stumbled prompting him to catch me and steady me back on my feet. Once I had my bearings I looked up and instantly felt guilty.

Spread over the rooftop edges was a string of fairy lights which illuminated the expanse in a gentle glow. In the center there was a single table draped in white table cloth with rose petals spread across the ground around it. I walked mouth agape towards the endearing scene. On the table sat a vase holding a single red rose beside it a basket with steaming breadsticks and two plates complete with a set of napkins and silverware. Spaghetti with meatballs and a salad bowl as well. I still hadn't said a word but the realization of his question about the movie we'd seen in drama hit me. Had he really remembered something I'd said to him from all those years ago in a dumb high school class?

FLASHBACK

"Oh wow…" I said in awe of the scene depicted on the screen projected onto the chalkboard of our classroom.

"What awe's you, Ms. Inoue?" I heard Ulquiorra ask from his desk seated beside mine. I cupped my cheeks with my palms and watched totally engrossed by the two dogs sharing a meal outside of an Italian diner. The look in their animated eyes was such a surreal capture of what it feels like to be head over heels for someone. And to think the Tramp had set this all up for Lady.

"I hope that one day someone might do something like this for me." I whispered just as the two dogs noses met from munching on the same string of spaghetti.

"You want to eat trash next to a dumpster, outside of an Italian diner?" he inquired further, perplexed. I giggled, I guess the way I phrased had sounded a little bit silly.

"No, well not exactly. I just want to have a dinner by starlight with someone who loves me." I said tearing my eyes away to look at Ulquiorra. He was sitting upright, with perfect rigid posture. His unruly raven hair framed his thickset black glasses as he stared back at me with fixated green eyes.

"I see."

END OF FLASHBACK

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"Lady and the Tramp." She said softly. Ulquiorra stayed motionless watching her clasp her hands together in front of her chest from behind. Her face not turned toward him. Her auburn locks flowing gently in the wind of the night. The rippling waves urging Ulquiorra to outstretch a hand and bring those strands to his face, and breathe in their fiery scent. But instead he forced the pulsing hand deep within his pocket where it would do no such thing. Yes, this was enough. Watching her silver eyes light up and brim with pleased tears that reflected the stars surrounding them was all the pleasure he needed. She slowly turned to him a smile tugging at her glistening lips. He found himself just as captivated by her as he had been all that time ago in that little worn down classroom.

"You remembered." She whispered as she drew unexpectedly near to him placing a small pale hand over his drumming chest.

"Forgive me for delaying us, I only wanted you to be surprised." She yet again caught him off-guard by resting her head where her hand had been and moving both arms to grip the front of his shirt very gently. The action caused him to take a few steps backwards until he was steadied by the railing of the rooftop.

"It's perfect, Ulquiorra-kun." She murmured against him. He was certain she could feel his fluttering heart beating erratically against her ear. He cautiously raised a hand to rest at the base of her neck the other still buried in his pocket as he gazed at the evening sky.

"I hope it wasn't presumptuous of me to set up something so intimate." He had taken a chance that she'd finished whatever business there had been left to attend with the trash called Ichigo and that it was appropriate to set up what would be their first date.

"Not at all. It's actually really sweet." She reassured. He knew that he might ruin this moment by his next question but he wanted full-fledged assurance that he was in the clear to 'date' the woman.

"Orihime, I need you to look at me for a moment." He said with a little insistence. She pulled away from him hands still snagged on the folds of his shirt.

"Yeah?" she asked her head tilted slightly concern glinting at him. He repositioned his hand to tug a strand of her hair away from the rest and run his thumb across it to test the surface.

"I don't want to come across as intrusive, however, I would appreciate if you could fill me in on your interaction with Kurosaki." She didn't frown or even shy away from him instead she smiled brightly, revealing her sets of perfectly aligned, white teeth.

"It's not a big deal, really. But I'm officially divorced now." The cheer within her seemingly depressing words was odd to him.

"You are not upset?" he asked increasingly aware at the distance lessening between them.

"How can I be upset when you went through so much trouble just to fulfill some measly fantasy of mine?" she asked her confident gaze not lessening.

"I guess it would be appropriate to label this as our first date then?" she nodded and nuzzled her head into the crook of his neck again her arms looping around his neck.

"I guess so." He was still wary at the sudden proximity she seemed so comfortable with yet felt as though he had crossed the finish line of some odd longtime marathon. This woman he held in his arms was the only person in this world he wanted to protect. He wanted to study her, and learn everything from her favorite color to her deepest fear.

"Orihime the food will get cold if we do not sit down soon." He said hesitantly.

"I know, but can we stay like this for a little bit longer, Ulquiorra-kun?" he was grateful that she had rooted herself into his neck so that she couldn't witness the timid smile gracing his lips.

"If you wish."

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I hoped that the way I was clinging to Ulquiorra wasn't annoying him. I just couldn't quite help myself though. He had done so much for nothing in return. I shifted slightly so that I could glance at him from the side. Though situated at a weird angle his handsome features still shone prominently within the gentle light. I felt like I could fall asleep right here and now. His comforting scent emanating from his black locks and the security of his shoulder was enough to lull me into a daze. I was safe in this embrace and it was weird how someone I'd never pictured myself with before had suddenly become the man of my dreams.

I turned again to gaze down at the city below with grateful eyes. Cars zoomed by each other on the roads and people walked oblivious to our presence looming above them. I grinned and lightly ran my fingertips through Ulquiorra's hair's tail-ends. He stiffened slightly in such a satisfying way. I was certain that no one else could be like this with him. And that fact alone gave me shivering pleasure.

I felt steady hands rest on the sides of my hips.

"Orihime…" Just as I was about to release him I felt his hot breath fan over my ear. Suddenly memories of our first kiss replayed in my mind. The whimsy of being taken by surprise. The passion. The very really fireworks going off behind us.

He gave me enough leeway to face him. My fingers resting on his shoulders and our noses nearly touching.

The woman's gaze was dangerously innocent. She was oblivious to the darkness lurking in his own. She was good, she was pure. And it was not the Italian masterpiece he craved sitting on a table mere feet away, no, it was the savory taste of her lips. Her scarlet cheeks only further fueled his desire. But he didn't want to push her too fast. She glanced from his eyes to his own lips. Surely this was a signal. This was sign wasn't it? He subconsciously gripped her hips a little tighter as he doubted the outcome of his next advance.

He was gentle. Taking everything at a steady pace. Her lips were more than willing to take it to the next level but he wouldn't let her. She was missing something important. He memorized every curvature and every ridge along her skin with his own. Taking her wandering hands and resting them on his shoulders so they wouldn't stoke him. She began to match his pace gradually, not testing his unsaid warnings. After thoroughly taking in the plush caress of her mouth against his he pulled away, staring into her eyes with enough intensity to make her blush and bite the lip he kissed only seconds earlier. He pressed another short kiss to her bare forehead conveying something he wasn't ready to repeat with words. But the unsaid phrase was on the forefront of both of their minds regardless of the way it was reiterated.

_I love you._

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When Gin came home from a few days away he saw a scene that made him stifle a laugh and bite his shirt sleeve. Rangiku was a sorry sight. Splayed over the couch in an almost hysterical display with a nearly empty glass of wine teetering on her curled fingers. Her mouth was open and the blanket on her was barely covering her long smooth-shaven legs and leaving her torso barely hidden beneath a shabby tank top. Her hair wasn't in its normal flawless appearance, instead it was messy and tangled shooting out from every direction. There was some shoddy chick flick playing on the T.V. He bent down and eased the glass out of Rangiku's fingers setting the clear cup on the coffee table. Next he removed the sad excuse of a blanket and slipped his arms around the snoring woman. This was the girl he loved, drool and all. As he hoisted her up from the couch she stiffened and then yawned sleepily wrapping her arms tighter around his neck.

"Gin…you're home?" she said huskily into his ear. He smiled and carried the disheveled woman to the bedroom and laid her unto the mattress.

"Go back to sleep Ran." He said pulling the comforter over her chilled skin. For once she didn't argue and turned on her side closing her half-lidded eyes. He wanted to join her but the phone in his pocket was buzzing incessantly. He never could have enough time.

Stepping out of the room he took the phone from his pocket not bothering to check the I.D. because he knew who it was.

"Izuru, is something the matter?" he said in a hushed tone, so as not to rouse the woman sleeping in the room a few feet away.

"Captain Ichimaru we may have a problem on our hands." Gin looked back at the half-cracked open door and walked backwards to shut it and then took a seat on the couch clicking the movie off.

"Now what could ya mean there Lieutenant?" he said scratching his head, disturbing the straight silver hairs.

"It could just be a coincidence but Nnoitra has been frequenting the bakery that Ms. Inoue works at currently." Gin narrowed his eyes. There were no coincidences when it came to Aizen.

"What are the movements on Aizen?" He heard the faint shuffling of papers from the other side. Izuru was always the observant one.

"He's done nothing save for meeting Nnoitra at the usual meeting place every Thursday." What could the bastard be plotting?

"This could work in our favor Izuru. Place a surveillance cab across from the store at all hours Ms. Inoue is workin'." He said rubbing a hand across the surface of his pant leg.

"Yes, Captain." His associate said obediently on the other side. He clicked the phone off and sighed taking a look around the place. It looked as though a tornado had run through it with all the dishes and clothes strewn about. Tonight must've been a bad night for her as well, after all it was _his_ birthday. The image of the small child played in his mind and those brief seconds of deluded joy before they realized something wasn't quite right. He stood and set about picking up the discarded articles. Ran always liked a clean space. He could sacrifice an hour or two of his sleep so that she wouldn't worry over it the next day.

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"Jesus, I feel like an idiot." Rukia whispered as she stood outside the door to Ichigo's work office. It wasn't like she'd never been in there before but she felt a very real gnaw that she wasn't supposed to go in there at the moment. But after waiting for a few days in her small cubicle a few floors above his she decided enough was enough. He'd been back in Karakura for quite a few days and hadn't bothered to contact her even once. Were all those things he'd said before he left really just to string her along so that he could have his way with her whenever he saw fit? If so he had another thing coming.

She didn't bother knocking and instead held her breath and opened the door shutting it behind her, not leaving its supportive frame. She clenched her fists together ready to give the ginger a piece of her mind when she saw his face. The breath she'd been holding dissipated and she found herself falling silent.

His eyes were rubbed rawand he held something shiny in his left hand. He looked to her completely caught off-guard by her sudden intrusion.

Had he been crying?

"Rukia…" he placed the shining object onto the wooden desk with care, it rested beside a similar metallic figure. He ran his sleeve across his eyes and stood with his back to her while he composed himself. She'd never seen him so…so…raw.

"I um…I…" suddenly she felt incredibly selfish rushing into his office without any warning whatsoever. Ichigo was a better man than to lead her on, she should've known that.

"I'm sorry just give me a second." He said softly. She said nothing in return but quietly waited, mouth agape, staring at his hunched back. He coughed a few times and straightened his posture turning to meet her staring curious violet orbs.

"Ichigo…" she said reaching out a hand when he batted her seeking fingers away with his own arm.

"Now isn't the time for this Rukia." He said turning away from her again.

"What's wrong with you? Did something happen I can help-"she stopped herself when she realized something was missing on his hand. There was a thin strip of skin on his finger closest to his pinkie that was pale white. His wedding band was gone. She looked back to the desk and realized the shining object were wedding rings.

"I finalized my divorce today Rukia, it's not a good time." He said again urging her to leave him alone. She would do no such thing. She buried her hands in the suit coat covering his back and rested her cheek against the brittle fabric. She wasn't normally the comforting type but she couldn't leave him in this state alone.

He didn't push her away this time either instead she stood there all too aware of the man next to her, crying in silence over the loss of something important. There was an unsaid pain that divorce left for the guilty party. Sometimes it was both partners who were at fault for the broken marriage, but often times it was only one person in the companionship.

Rukia had been lucky that she wasn't 100 percent responsible for her own shortcomings with Renji, but she couldn't fathom the guilt weighing on Ichigo's shoulders currently. She couldn't even remember the reason for her entry into the small room, all she could think about was the fact that she wanted to ease this person's pain. She wasn't a caring person necessarily, she was definitely a firm believer in the idea of tough love. But, she was beginning to learn Ichigo was revealing a new side of herself to her. Where normally she would have walked away calling behind her 'get over it', she found herself desperately clinging to him breaking alongside him at the sight of such a strong rock crumbling, whispering 'it's okay' in his backside.

It was in this moment that Rukia realized two things: A, she wanted to use these two hands she had to help this person and B, she was sure that what she was feeling was not a fluke no…she was in surreal reality that she was finally beginning to comprehend just what love was and what it does to a person.


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N****: Hello! Hello! It's been quite a while! I've been struggling to have the time to write this and I'll admit I hit a bit of a block but I'm determined to see this through to the end so I hope you'll forgive my absence and I gave this my best! I hope this chapter pleases you all and I hope to see some comments and opinions below! I've immensely enjoyed escaping from reality for a little bit whilst creating this again thank you for your patience and support and now onto Chapter 21! Enjoy!**

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**WARNING:**** I have changed the rating of this fic to R for the mature content and language ahead. You've been warned!**

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**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Bleach or any other copyrighted material.**

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**Lie To Me Chpt. 21**

Oh no. How did I end up here? Was the first thought to pop into Orihime's head when she arose from a bed wrapped in silky emerald sheets with a men's t-shirt adorning her body. Surely, she thought, she hadn't done this to Ulquiorra again. Surely she hadn't bummed out in his place yet AGAIN. She retraced the events of the previous evening to make sure she hadn't overstepped her boundaries with her now official boyfriend. They had been watching movies last night. Yes, she vaguely recalled him popping open a bottle of champagne before settling beside her and allowing her to coil up against his warm body before the first flare of a headache pounded inside her skull.

"Ooouucchhhh…" she murmured, holding her temples in each hand as she leaned forward in an upright position. Yes, champagne…so that must've been one of the elements that had lead her here. She wracked her pulsating brain for more recollections. As embarrassing as it was she could remember pulling Ulquiorra towards her rather forcefully and taunting him to take things to the next level. Yeah, they'd been dating for a few months but she had said she wanted to take this slow from the get go and Ulquiorra wasn't someone who would take advantage of a woman in an intoxicated state. But it gave her satisfaction recalling the feeling of his artistic million-dollar hand trailing dangerously high on her upper thigh while she begged him for more. She could make him compromise more than she was supposed to. But as tempting as the thought of taking things with him in an intimate sense further, she was glad that he'd shown such restraint. She wanted their first time to be special, un-influenced by alcohol and at the right time. But the more the thought of his mind-numbing ability to make her forget where she was while he was kissing her, and his nimble skilled hands running up and down and all along her body, was becoming more and more difficult to push away.

"Ughhhhhh!..." she groaned as another pang of pain seized her brain and interrupted her fantasy. She heard a distant sizzling and smelled some sort of concoction of breakfast being made behind the starch white door of Ulquiorra's bedroom. Her stomach growled in complaint. She surveyed the area looking for tossed clothes or remnants of anything alcohol had erased from her memory. She saw nothing that alarmed her that Ulquiorra had even slept in the bed with her. She saw two red round pills placed neatly on a napkin next to a glass of water on the bedside table though. Thank. God. Ulquiorra was thoughtful. She gulped as the pills rushed down her throat aided by cool water. She slid out of bed hissing at the cold air. But she also realized her lower half was scantily clad in her bright pink panties and nothing else. She pulled one of the sheets embellishing Ulquiorra's bed and wrapped it around herself all the while blushing in embarrassment. Honestly, alcohol wasn't her friend at all.

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Ulquiorra heard the door to his bedroom creak open as a red-faced Orihime slid out from behind it. She was wearing his white t-shirt and had a green sheet wrapped around her torso.

"Good morning, Ms. Inoue." He greeted her as she sauntered over towards him.

"Ulquiorra I told you to call me Orihime!" she complained batting his shoulder playfully. The woman winced a bit and he could only assume it was partial to a hangover. He kept the smirk twitching at his lips contained as he thought of the sinister ways he could cure that ailment faster than a few pills of aspirin. She was looking straight into his eyes as if she could feel the sexual tension emanating from them. She cleared her throat which eradicated the 'over-stepping his boundaries' natured thoughts.

"So what's for breakfast?" she asked.

"Omelets with basil and mozzarella." He answered somewhat frustrated by his lack of discipline. The woman hummed and exclaimed a quick "yum!" before scooping up her share of the meal with a spatula onto a plate and seating herself at his dining table. He watched her every movement with burning desperation. His t-shirt hugged the curvature of her backside and clung to her breasts rather tightly, revealing how cold she truly was from the taut protuberances lined with painful clarity by the fabric.

"May I join you?" he asked averting his eyes from the places they shouldn't be.

"Of course!" she said cheerfully through her engorged cheeks filled with the breakfast he'd cooked for her.

"Wait actually…" she interjected swallowing.

"Do you have any red bean paste?" she asked. Though her bizarre appetite puzzled him he nodded and retrieved the small canister of it he kept in the refrigerator.

After handing her the paste he sat adjacent to her and began eating whilst she chattered about the very awe-inspiring dreams she'd had during the night. These dreams often involved everything from unicorns to robots and humans falling in love and getting engaged. He wished his dreams were always as peaceful and engaging as hers, however he didn't often have that pleasure. When he did dream, it was of her. But most evenings what plagued his sleep were nightmares. These terrors involved many things that had already occurred early in life or failing the woman.

"Ulquiorra-kun?" Orihime inquired, rousing him away from his reflection.

"Forgive me." He apologized monotonously. She muttered it was fine and patted her lips with a napkin. After refolding the fabric and leaving it back on its position on the placemat she grabbed her plate and utensils and offered to take his as well. He graciously accepted her proposition and insisted on rinsing the dishes himself. Of course, she would never allow him to be burdened with this task after making the culinary masterpiece she had consumed minutes beforehand. So, they compromised that he would rinse them and she would dry.

He allowed the water to warm before dipping his hands into it scrubbing the plates of any excess grease and vegetation left on them. After they were both acceptably clean he observed as she patted them dry. Suddenly his protrusive thoughts returned. In the midst of completing her task, the sheet wrapped securely around her waist had loosened and fallen to the floor resting around her ankles. Ulquiorra's eyes trailed the shaped of her long creamy legs and her hips. Wanting to grip them and pull her against him.

She looked at him as she set the plate down and watched his eyes trail along her body.

"Ulquiorra?..." she murmured softly as he stepped behind her slipping a hand to grasp her thigh as the other moved her auburn hair out of her face and behind her ear, exposing the vulnerable flesh of her neck. She felt his head rest against hers and slowly move to where his lips grazed the skin of her ear.

"Orihime…" he whispered deeply into her ear. Eliciting an excitement that she was not akin to. Her breathing became somewhat erratic as she could feel his hot breath come nearer towards the nape of her neck. She gasped when his lips pressed down _**hard**_ against her skin. He trailed kisses from her nape towards her collarbone, moving the t-shirt away to expose her shoulder. His other hand also wandered to her rear cupping it and squeezing tightly causing her to inhale sharply with every grip. His lips found their way back to her nape and he began to suck gently at first and then with more and more force.

"U-Ulquiorra!" Orihime panted snapping his mind back into focus. He stopped his advance on the woman licking the exposed skin of her neck finally before raising his head to reveal the purple bruise-like mark that could easily be covered by her intoxicating hair. His hand retreated to her thigh again, and he waited for further words from the woman. Her breathing returned to normal and she tried to make sense of what she wanted to do next. She flipped around to where she was facing him head on. He took in her appearance forming his not quite a smile, smile. He grasped a strand of her red hair, which tended to be something he took to doing rather frequently.

"Forgive me…Orihime." He said with a hint of satisfaction in the depths of his voice.

She glared at him in a joking way.

"Are you gonna do this to me every time I come up here now?" she said a smile playing on her lips. He relished a smirk of his own.

"Only if it would please you, Ms. Inoue." She snaked her arms around his neck bringing her forehead to rest against Ulquiorra's.

"Okay."

* * *

To say Ichigo had been taking things slow was understatement. But then again to call him a prude was a bit of a stretch.

Rukia sat atop his kitchen counter swirling her finger across the circular top of a beer bottle.

"Ichigo…" she stated in a bit of a whine.

"Hmm?" he grunted filing through papers on the most recent case to come through his office.

"Come here." She said with a bit of a huff. His amber eyes flicked to hers. And he removed his glasses to stare at her intently.

"Why?" he said untrustingly. She groaned and hopped off the counter sulking towards him.

"Because idiot, you've barely maintained that we are even in a relationship." She spat. His brow furrowed and he looked away with disdain.

"I don't know what we are yet Rukia." She frowned.

"Then define us." She insisted crossing her arms to express how put out she was by his entire mood. He sighed and put down his papers looking to her face again. Her large blue eyes guilting him. He stood up and moved in front of her.

"Don't guilt me into doing things with you. I want to figure out if I can even be with you before we muddle the waters with sex, Rukia." She looked taken aback.

"What the hell does that mean?" she felt her heart pulsing as if it was about to break out of her chest. Ichigo didn't want to be with her? After all they'd been through together? After all those nights where she held HIM while he cried?

"You broke up my marriage! You took advantage of me while I was weak! I had a wife. A good wife. A wife that knew every single detail about me- "

"Except the part about your dead mom…" Rukia interjected cutting him off. He looked at her with a gaze turning predatory. She could feel salty tears sweltering behind her eyes. Forcing the blue to become ever clearer and the whites to run red.

"Get out." He hissed. She grabbed her things taking the beer with her.

"Gladly." She said under her breath in spite.

* * *

"_Orihimeeeeeeeeee…pleasseeeeeeeeeeee…"_ Nel whined over the phone as Orihime sat contently with her head in Ulquiorra's lap as he absent-mindedly tangled his fingers through her long hair while reading over the latest discussion within Neurosurgery.

Orihime looked toward Ulquiorra content to be just where she was but also torn because she wanted to see those adorable blue-haired angels that were Nel's children.

"_Orihimeeeeeee!" _she whined again. Orihime huffed and put the phone to her chest to keep Nel from hearing her next words.

"Ulquiorra-kun?" she asked staring into his determined emerald eyes.

"Yes, Ms. Inoue?" he said he gaze shifting to her delicate features. She tapped her index to her phone.

"Do you want to come with me to Nel's to help her with the kids?" she asked innocently looking as if she wasn't quite sure if she wanted to leave his apartment. She had departed his dwelling briefly that afternoon, and he assumed that was the end of her visit. But about an hour later she reappeared letting herself in, dressed in fresh attire with wet hair, as if it were the most routine action and informing him that his t-shirt was in the wash. In truth, he wanted to spend his day off just as they were, lounging in his apartment sharing brief moments of passion.

"If it is what you would want, then I will accompany you." Her silver orbs brightened and she gleefully chattered away to Neliel that they would be arriving at her house within the hour. She clicked her phone off and looked to him with a smile gracing her tantalizing lips that were slightly inflamed from the abuse he'd inflicted upon them.

"Let's go!" she exclaimed hopping off the couch and jamming her slender feet into her tennis shoes. He rose from the couch himself grabbing his wallet and keys and shoving them into his pocket after he locked the door to his apartment on their way out.

* * *

"You two seem very, _very_ close." Nel said making sure to insinuate the worst to Orihime.

"Nel-chan!" she whispered frantically. Ulquiorra was only a few steps away from them and Nel was certainly the worst whisperer in the entire world. She watched amused as Ulquiorra cradled Kagura in one arm and allowed Akio to play with his fingers while grabbing at his hair in attempts to climb Ulquiorra's torso.

"We've just been around each other a lot…recently. We're close…" Yeah, she thought…close in proximity.

"Hime-chan! You're blushing!" she taunted pushing her a little bit and further embarrassing her to pieces. She tried to hide the redness of her face between her fingers but was caught off guard by Ulquiorra's gaze. Nel's incessant accusations seemed to fade out of her ears as she got lost in his eyes. He was smiling at her. Like a smile you could actually see. She couldn't help but stare. She'd never seen something so strange.

"Like what you see?" She jumped at Nel's husky whisper into her ear.

"Nel-chan!" She pouted and rose from her seat beside Nel to procure one of the babies from Ulquiorra and protect herself from the dirty rumors Nel was throwing at her. She took Akio in an attempt to save some of Ulquiorra's well-kempt raven hair on his head and sat with Akio in a rocking chair in Nel's nursery. Akio really had some of the features of his father. The hair, the icy stare, and even the permanent scowl. Honestly, she didn't think this baby ever looked happy.

"You're thinking that he looks just like Grimm, aren't you?" Nel said aloud once again interrupting Orihime's thought process.

"Y-Yeah…" she responded timidly. She was fully aware of how raw the loss still was in Neliel's mind.

"I see him…every night in my dreams…" she said wistfully. She wandered in beside Orihime glancing toward the picture frame of Grimmjow looking at a very pregnant Nel, with a hand on her bloated stomach with tears, yes, tears streaming down his face. This was the one picture Orihime had ever seen of Grimmjow where he showed some type of emotion resembling happiness.

"What happens in your dreams?" Orihime asked cautiously, figuring that Nel possibly brought up the subject to vent some bottled emotions.

"It's different most nights. Some nights it's like a memory of when Grimmjow st-…stopped the bullet from getting to me and the kids. Other nights it's like he was there when Akio and Kagura was born…and he's looking at them a lot like he looks in this picture…" she said stroking the tiny toes of Akio's foot with her thumb. She sighed and then said.

"And some nights it's just dirty, dirty sex." She admitted. Both of them bursting into laughter. Akio looked estranged at the phenomenon.

"Excuse me." They both immediately stopped in their giggles glancing toward Ulquiorra who stood in the doorway. Nel giggled even harder that he'd heard the entire ordeal but when she was finished allowed Ulquiorra to speak.

"it would appear that Kagura has fallen asleep in my arms." He said emotionlessly.

"Awww" Orihime cooed watching as Neliel retrieved her baby from Ulquiorra's stiff hold and placed her in the pink crib in one corner of the room. As if on cue Akio began to cry for his mother and Nel came for him to, oddly placing him in the pink crib alongside his twin sister.

"Nel-chan why don't you put him in his own bed?" she inquired.

"You know it's the weirdest thing Hime-chan, they can't sleep unless they're together." She said giving the frowning twin a kiss on the forehead and leaving him to fall into deep slumber just like his other half.

All three of them quietly exited the nursery and said they're goodbyes as Ulquiorra and Orihime ducked out the door. Leaving Neliel to follow in suit of her children and dream of their father.

* * *

Ichigo looked out at the many blaring lights and honking sounds of Karakura as he pondered his life. He'd spent the entire day missing the woman he'd been divorced to for months now. He'd even spent some evenings stalking her much to his dismay. He had no right to interfere, but dammit if he didn't want to.

He sighed, his mind shifting to Rukia.

She was a fireball. She had spunk and class and attitude all wrapped up into this tiny body. And he couldn't sort the guilt he was feeling from the feelings he had for her. His mind was all tangled up and trying to force a relationship that he couldn't even fathom due to all the rage within him. He felt like a hurricane that tears everything in its path. He was a swirling mess of broken things that appeared without warning and destroys people's lives.

And for all this madness, to top it all off, the case he was working on only hit as close to home as any. He was dealing with a man who wanted to divorce his wife because he'd been cheating on her. He wanted out of it for reasons Ichigo couldn't understand. He felt no guilt whatsoever. He was perfectly fine casting his old 25 year-long married wife to wayside for a newer model. It enraged and perplexed him in ways he didn't understand. And in all this chaos he wanted Orihime again. He wanted her gentle touch and reassuring voice to resonate in his ears and tell him what the hell he should do. He wanted her settle him like she always did when things didn't seem to make any sense. He wanted to find her right now and hold her in his arms and beg her to come back to him. But just when he would picture his life with Orihime alongside him, he could see Rukia standing barely perceivable yet clear as day behind him. And the confusion only consumed him further.


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: As of now there are 3 remaining chapters in this fic! I'd relish in seeing your predictions for the ending below! Enjoy!**

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**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any other copyrighted material.**

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**Lie To Me Chpt. 22**

* * *

Ever since breakfast that one steamy morning weeks prior, Orihime Inoue only had one thing on her mind, lips. To be specific Ulquiorra's lips. In fact, she was so engrossed in thinking about his lips that she would find tiny excuses just to slip back into his apartment daily so she could kiss those lips…with her lips. And Ulquiorra didn't cease to amaze her with making her want what she didn't even know she could desire for him to do to her. He was pushing the boundaries…and pushing them hard.

"_He's really that good_?" Rangiku voiced over the phone whilst Orihime sat flustered on the couch of Ulquiorra's apartment twirling a strand of her hair between her thumb and index finger. The couch had seemed to become her new best friend, what with all the lounging around she did on it day by day. If she wasn't careful there would start to be a slump in the cushions where her backside was planted.

"Yeah…he's something…" she replied shyly remembering the look in his eyes when he'd pulled away from her yesterday before she retreated to her own apartment. It was a look she couldn't quite comprehend. The depths in his green eyes were fathomless. She sighed yet again wishing he was at her side reading some boring brain magazine or something. But Ulquiorra was scheduled to be in and out of surgeries all day, and for a good, if not all, of the night.

"I'm just sad he has to work all day today Rangiku-channnnnn" she added groaning miserably like a clingy 16-year old and flopping herself onto the hardwood of the floor. She longed to bang her head against it if it would make the nonsensical feelings sweltering inside her stop. The noise of her floundering seemed to alert Murciealgo to the presence of someone within her vicinity. She heard her perk up and wander over to stare down at her with her tongue lolling half outside her open mouth.

"Well, I just wish I was getting half the action you are. That being said the two of you are both prudes." Rangiku clicked her tongue audibly. Orihime scoffed. Prudes? They were not…she was not…well maybe they were. But what was so wrong about holding off on doing the nasty until they knew each other better? And what happened to no pre-marital sex?

"We're not prudes!" she bellowed as Rangiku laughed boisterously on the other side of the line.

"Well whatever you idiots are, if he's making you happy Hime I'm happy." Rangiku reassured wiping a single tear from the corner of her eye. Orihime muttered a defeated 'okay…' and they both hung up simultaneously.

Rangiku huffed as she thought over the last time her and Gin had been so incredibly lost in each other that she spent hours thinking about him when he was gone. Yes, she thought she always missed him when he was gone, but she couldn't say her loneliness was attributed to her longing for his touch always.

She sat the phone down beside the fruit bowl of persimmons and looked for Gin.

"Who was that darlin?" He inquired harmlessly packing his things into a brown leather briefcase for his upcoming day of…well whatever he did.

"Orihime." She responded flicking her eyes up and down his broad back. She bit her lip shamefully.

"What're you doing today?" she added making her way towards him. He paused, stiffening for a moment.

"You know I can't tell you that darlin'. But luckily I got about an hour til' I gotta go." He smiled with a fox-like grin and turned to face Rangiku.

"I know what you could do for an hour…" she whispered lowly snaking an arm around his neck and cradling his left cheek in the other. His striking blue eyes opened wider as his grin grew more prominent.

"And what's that?" he asked, moving his hands to settle on her round hips.

"…me." She finished pulling him towards her.

* * *

Orihime sulked, while petting the head of Murciealgo mindlessly, trying to come up with ways to entertain herself whilst Ulquiorra was cutting away at the brains of people. She glanced towards the bedroom. This was her chance. He would never know if she went snooping through his stuff like a secret detective trying to glean facts about him that he'd never voice aloud. After all, Ulquiorra was a very private person. The fact that she even knew where he hid the key to his apartment was a big deal. But then again, he had no knowledge of her even being in here. The only individual who did know she was in here was his dog. Therefore, whatever she discovered would have to be kept a super ultra-secret. And she was terrible at keeping secrets. One meaningful glance and she would tell him. So maybe she just shouldn't, she thought.

* * *

Ichigo was at a loss. He couldn't decide between jumping off the ledge of a building like he felt he should to end his mind's restless thinking, or seeking counsel from his official ex-wife.

"Damn." He cursed scowling at the sky. He felt a slight breeze ruffle his orange locks and it tickled the back of his neck. He needed a haircut soon. His hair was going to be longer than Rukia's if he kept this up.

He pulled his cellphone out of his pocket, the screen illuminated revealing that it was late afternoon. I should go see her, he thought sighing. This was something he needed to do, it would help clear his head in the long run.

He departed the roof of his apartment complex and made his way back toward his own living space. While passing through the well-lit hallways he heard many things. He heard couples fighting, dogs barking madly, and even snoring of all things.

Inoue used to snore like that on occasion. On nights when she had been through a grueling shift at the clinic she'd come home lean back on the couch with her mouth agape and release a sound so intense he wondered at times if her lungs would stop working. He usually ended up whacking her shoulder to rouse her from her obscene slumber, only to have her repeat the entire scene again once she was snuggled in their bed.

He rummaged through his belongings finding a tracksuit suitable to run to where he knew Inoue took residence. The suit was white for the most part with red accents.

He began jogging in an attempt to help ease his reluctant feelings about barging in on her unannounced. He was convinced however, had he asked her permission to visit she would have turned him away without a second thought.

When he finally arrived at the complex, Las Noches. He was out of breath and breaking a sweat. He felt a salty droplet run down the side of his face and splatter on the pavement. He leaned back against the white expanse of the building trying to catch his breath. When he'd gathered himself he calmly walked to the front desk where a woman with green hair sat making him nearly gag with her bubbly nature that was underlined in her red cheeks and goofy out-of-touch-with-reality smile. When he asked about where he could find a woman by the name of Orihime Inoue she gave him a strange look and proceeded to check the list of names and room numbers of the tenants within the grand complex.

"If you don't mind me asking what business do you have with Orihime-chan?" she chattered, a fake smile plastered on her face.

"Just some legal matters to clear up." Ichigo said lowly skeptical of why the receptionist even ventured to ask the question.

"Alrighty then I guess you wouldn't be one of her many suitors then aha!" she chirped and informed him what floor and room to find Orihime in. He muttered quick thanks and took the stairs to the designated floor. He stood before her door, heart beat speeding, and knocked on the wooden barrier. After a minute or so of silence he knocked again and no answer. If she'd left her apartment why wouldn't the receptionist have alerted him to that? He sighed and kicked the door with his foot lightly in frustration running his hand through his hair.

Well, he thought, slumping against the wall aside the door, guess I'll just have to wait.

* * *

Ulquiorra didn't take as much pleasure in his surgeries nowadays as he was ordinarily accustomed to. He used to spend hours in the O.R. fascinated by the complexities that composed the human brain. With one wrong breath, he could make a happily married man become a lunatic with temper tantrums and uncontrollable impulses. Another twitch and he could easily send a woman into the great beyond towards the warm welcoming light at the end of the tunnel. He felt as though he was playing the part of a God. He could control the peoples live with his own two hands. He prided himself in his vast knowledge of the brain, of its complications and functions, and the capacity he'd retained to resolve its issues. He found its color comforting, its intricacies captivating, and its undiscovered abilities intriguing.

But when it came to the decisions that the brain inside Orihime Inoue's head made, he was at a loss for words.

"Suture." He said, turning the idea of just what he and the woman were over in his mind.

Though they never voiced it, it would seem she was his girlfriend. And though they'd shared saliva on several occasions she didn't sleep in his bed. And even he, who was a being nearly devoid of emotion, had claimed his love for the woman she wouldn't allow him to show her how much.

He wanted her to feel what had stirred deep within him.

He longed to caress her in ways that would cause her to feel just a fraction of the reckless feeling consuming him.

He wanted to prove to her that she had opened the door to a new beginning filled with vivid color and sensation and, dare he say whimsy? A life that left the tumultuous past he'd suffered in the dark to shrivel away in the lonely back corner of his memories.

"Beautiful job Dr. Schiffer." He thanked his colleague for his appreciation and exited the room to scrub out of the procedure. Letting the cool water ease his racing thoughts that were beginning to make him feel rather ill. He toweled the remaining liquid off his hands and exited the sterile environment only to be stopped dead in his tracks yet again.

The Chief of Medicine, Sosuke Hinamori, walked past him leaving an air that chilled Ulquiorra's being to its core. His all-seeing eyes followed the man's every movement until he was out of sight. He always felt a surge of different inexplicable feelings when he saw the man. He couldn't explain it either. He felt as though he knew the man but the names of the Chief and _**that man**_ were similar yet not identical, their appearances also resembling one another but slight differences that could make his unvoiced accusations seem irrational if they were announced out loud. Yet even with all these rationalizations, Ulquiorra still felt his hair stand on fired ends when he saw the man.

* * *

"Oh my god…" Orihime couldn't help but say as she stumbled upon what might've been the greatest secret ever uncovered…a scrapbook of Ulquiorra's childhood. At least parts of it. Page after page she flipped through until she had reached the end of the book, and then she'd flip it back to the beginning and absorb each photo into her memory cover to cover all over again. There were birthday pictures of a sulking Ulquiorra glaring at the camera with a fork in one hand and a green frosted cake in front of him. There were pictures of his academic achievements, all in which he had the same expression as the birthday photos. There were even pictures of Ulquiorra with his violin, and in these his expression seemed almost serene. But her favorite image was one in which the camera had a woman with long ebony hair and bright grey eyes smiling with tears in her eyes squashing Ulquiorra's small body against hers, while he looked at her with that familiar almost smile she had become so familiar with. She stealthily slipped the photo from its sleeve and admired it for a bit longer. She decided to hide this somewhere in her apartment for safe keeping should she need blackmail against him at some point. She made sure to put the album back exactly as she'd found it, knowing that Ulquiorra would probably notice the small disappearance anyway. She then said goodbye to Murciealgo petting the tired puppy lovingly and locked the apartment on her way out.

When she finally walked out of the elevator towards her door she dropped the photo as he looked up to her.

His hair was at an all-time length, the longest she'd ever seen it. He stood to face her with a simple 'yo' in greeting.

"Kurosaki-kun…"

Orihime couldn't quite comprehend just what the hell Ichigo was doing showing up in her life randomly yet again. He looked worn, but that was his typical worn. It was a rare occurrence to catch him in a decent well-rested manner.

"Inoue I…I don't know what to do…" he begged grasping for a way to tell her, his previous best friend what he was dealing with. And then she said something he didn't expect.

"Can I give you a haircut?" he stared at her half confused, half relieved.

"Y-Yes?" he responded, scratching his brain quizzically.

"Sit down, Kurosaki-kun." She said softly with a smile gracing her lips, gesturing towards the sink as she pulled a chair from the dining table to rest in front of it. He complied with her request taking seat as she turned the faucet on behind him, testing the temperature a bit with her fingers until she deemed it reasonable.

She gently pressed on his sternum and he cocked his head backwards relaxing his tense body as the warm water ran through his orange tresses.

"You never did handle stress very well, Kurosaki-kun." Inoue said thoughtfully as she ran her smooth fingers throughout his damp hair, effectively soothing him.

Orihime noted the lines of Ichigo's brow smoothing out, and his eyes shutting until his façade encapsulated tranquility. This was one of her talents when it came to Ichigo.

Ichigo heard the click of a bottle opening and felt the cool gel-like substance Orihime started lathering in his hair. He could detect a hint of strawberry wafting its way to his nostrils as he slowly breathed in and out. His mind, for the first time in weeks, was settled.

"Now," Orihime started softly.

"what's this about?" she finished, continuing to run her hands through his scalp.

"I know I have no business asking for your advice Inoue…but you seem to be about the only person who doesn't wanna throw a punch at me as soon as you see me." Che, you don't know that, Orihime thought quietly to herself.

"We've been separated for quite some time now…I mean it seems like I haven't seen you forever, Inoue." He was always addressing her by her last name.

"Rukia…" he looked up at her, revealing the desperation in his tense amber orbs.

"…I feel guilty when I'm with her…because I lost you. You were my best friend, Inoue. You were my- "

"Ichigo." Orihime interrupted, her hands pausing momentarily as he listened to her.

"Ichigo I don't think I was ever your best friend…" he couldn't quite grip at her words. He felt a droplet of water hit his face and looked up to witness another drop fall from Orihime's cheek. Was she crying?

"I always told myself, that you and Rukia were just friends…" she turned the water on again and began to rinse his hair.

"…at every Christmas when you two would go off alone, at Fourth of July picnics when you'd choose to sit with her instead of me, and even when you'd rush to her side when she was hurting I-I…" He couldn't look away from Inoue's face. The woman was here crying freely above him and he could do nothing to make it stop.

"She was your best friend…she was always your best friend." She stated regaining control of herself, wiping her reddened eyes.

"I think I could always get you to relax…and I think you did love me there for a while, Kurosaki-kun but, I think the only reason you did was because Rukia guided you there…" she added as she pulled the scissors out of the kitchen droor next to the sink.

"And as much as you loved me there for a little while…I don't think I was ever able to understand you like she can." She could feel Ichigo's eyes burning a hole in her face as she continued, snipping the unruly ends of his hair.

"I was selfish…because I knew…deep down I knew you would realize it too one day…" she sniffled slightly.

"What you did was an act of the deepest kind of betrayal." Orihime said, stopping in her snipping and looking Ichigp in the eye.

"But don't you dare say you want me back Ichigo Kurosaki. Because you never understood me like I willed myself to believe you did." She stated firmly making the final cut before standing back to admire her work.

Ichigo looked to be his old self again.

"Inoue…" he started reaching for a nearby towel and using it to dry his freshly chopped locks.

"…you've changed." He finished looking at her as he stood. She offered a smile that left his chest feeling lighter. She looked content. All whole and healed and whatever else people say when someone comes out of a rough patch.

"Yes." She whispered as he drew closer to her, towering over her as she was used to.

"So I guess you've found yourself some guy that understands you?" Ichigo asked smiling back at her.

Orihime thought back to all the times Ulquiorra had exceeded her expectations that the man standing before her now had put in place. She recalled his kindness, his gentle mannerisms. She thought over his actions and how he could completely twist her insides around with butterflies.

She nodded proudly throwing her arms around Ichigo with tears brimming her eyes again.

"You should go make things right with Rukia." She whimpered closing her arms around him tighter burying her face in the crook of his neck.

"Yeah." He assured her as they released one another and he walked towards the door, stopping as he reached the brass handle and turning to look back at her a final time.

"Take care of yourself, Inoue."

* * *

Stupid, stupid, stupid Ichigo! Rukia thought to herself as she punched her pillow with her ferocious little fists. Why'd he have to go and make her love him? Why couldn't he have minded his own damn business and stayed the hell away from her and her miserable existence? Why did he have to be the one person she'd come to depend on to pull her out of her own hole when she'd dug herself in a ditch?

_Knock, knock, knock._

"Rukia." She heard Byakuya inquire from behind her bedroom door. She quickly wiped her face of the salty remnants of tears she just been shedding.

"Yes, Nii-sama?" she replied sitting up straight. She watched the door slide open and felt her heart cease.

"You have a visitor." Byakuya concluded, sliding the door to its previous position behind a familiar orange-haired companion.

"Ichi…go…" she voiced shakily, uncertain of whether the man standing before her was a figment of her imagination due to the amount of time she'd spent envisioning herself with him over the past day or so. She felt Ichigo wrap his arms around her body and his breath hit her ear as he embraced her.

"I'm sorry…" her blue eyes opened wide.

"I'm sorry for hurting you…for cheating you from the way you deserve to be treated…for doubting your ability to understand me, Rukia." He spoke in a low whisper, feeling her shaking in his grasp.

She tried to fight his hold but he refused to let go of her.

"You…" she started, her lips trembling.

"You…" she tried for words but they wouldn't form right as her throat swelled.

"You idiot." She gasped returning his embrace as he released her slightly to tangle his fingers in her raven locks and pull her to him.

She felt complete, safe, secured in the arms of Ichigo Kurosaki. He grounded her to reality with his gruff notions and ability to comprehend the bad days where the people you lost outweighed the people that were alive and well. He knew her better than she knew herself.

They were finally together, no more lying. No more hiding. Ichigo Kurosaki was hers just as much as she was his.


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: Glad to see a few old friends are returning to this work after my absence! However, you know what is about to hit the fan. Prepare yourselves. Eat some chocolate if that'll calm you. Now, onto Chapter 23! Enjoy!**

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**Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach or any other copy-righted material.**

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**Lie To Me Chpt. 23**

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As a private investigator, Gin Ichimaru had seen many criminals over the course of his career. His training consisted of a lot of observations and following trails without leaving one yourself. These tendencies came naturally to him. His obscure façade often urged people to look away which made his ability to fade into the background more effective than his fellow detectives by a mile. He remembered his first case was similar to Aizen's. A young dentist evading the rights of a humans right to say no to his advances by simply anesthetizing them so that if they did remember anything it could be swept to the wayside in their rationalizing thoughts. The young mastermind even had a partner who aided his ploys against women. His wife. She was just as afraid as the girls he preyed upon. She enabled his somnophilia that left women trembling in the middle of the night from tears in their flesh they didn't recall getting, or blood running down their legs without explanation as to why, in order to keep the same sin from being inflicted on herself.

This villainous dentist was as intelligent as he was crooked. He never made a mistake until something happened that he didn't account for. A woman by the name of Suzuki. Suzuki was a bit young for the dentists tastes but he stole from her anyway. Suzuki had a genetic condition within her that caused her cytochrome type causes her to metabolize anesthetic drugs at a much higher rate than the average person. This condition can only be caught unfortunately after a patient has woken up during surgery. When Suzuki woke up strapped into the chair of her dentist's office, she didn't expect to be unable to move or speak. He also didn't expect to feel the sickening belt buckle of her doctor rubbing against her belly as he forced himself inside her repeatedly. She had no voice, no ability to beg him to stop his advances. And by the time she could the damage had left her speechless. She tried to convince herself it had been a nightmare or a hallucination. But she felt the raw bruises along the insides of legs and saw the blood plain as day staining her clothes. She sought out testing to be certain. These tests led to the confirmation of her rare disorder. This discovery left her feeling empowered to bring her story before the department of justice. Her insidious story was all the proof needed to start an investigation of the dentist with a pestilent agenda. Sure enough they caught the felonious doctor and had him locked in a place where the possibility of his own body being succumbed to the will of others was a high outcome. The wife who was a silent associate, landed in a similar location despite her own pleas for mercy in her self-defense of a man she couldn't control.

After that case many things became apparent to Gin. He began to learn the patterns and motives behind rapist's ploys. Sexual assault was his God-given specialty. There was something about the nature of sexual crimes that left people hesitant to come forward, to even voice their tribulations out loud. He was persuasive in this manner; he could convince men and women they were safe in his legally-binding confidence. Afterall, the woman he'd worked so hard to become the P.I. he was for had trusted without even knowing the things he had given up to attain her justice. He allowed her paranoia and worry to consume her, because in the long-run he was certain she would never be content unless the man who had stolen her sense of safety was behind bars…permanently.

Nevertheless, these patterns he'd picked up on differed from one delinquent to the next. Some were sloppy and those individuals where usually picked up rather quickly. But some were cunning, and devious; they were the type to evade persecution for years on end. They were the kind of people that hid behind a mask for the entirety of their life in order to serve the desires of their flesh; only unveiling their true identity of evil to the victims without a say in the matter. He had seen pure evil within these rare cases only twice in his lifetime. The first time he'd had no warning, no premonition at all. It was when he was young, a boy. He'd seen the chilling glare within the hazel depths of the man he'd been working so hard to put away forever. It wasn't intentional, Aizen certainly hadn't noticed intended the slip-up. But it had been there clear as the blue sky above them. He'd looked at him with **that** look. The second time was in the cafeteria of a mental institution. He'd put a man away who'd managed to charm his way into a minimum-security facility that allowed him some quality of limited freedom. He stared at the man looking at him for who he was, determined to let him know that he wasn't fooled by his silver-tongue. When the man had noticed he'd been unmasked he nearly beat him to death in spite. But he would never forget that baneful glare in the depths of the most dangerous of criminal's eyes. It could be likened to that of an animal. They were the masked community that hunted the population least suspecting an attack. They worked in the darkness, the silence, to serve their hollow souls.

That was Aizen's identity.

Aizen's pattern was very subtle. It was exceedingly difficult to pick up on. He would pick out a red-haired female and wait until the most opportune time to strike them in a daze where they were on the brink of passing into unconsciousness but still had the capacity to moan and cry. They never knew him. He never left a trace of DNA. He always wore a condom. And it was always a purposeful swift detail that rendered his victim unable to say no.

And he was actively in season once again.

Gin had found the unsuspecting victim in a supply closet. Her scrubs were pulled down to the knees leaving her bare, exposed, and bruised rear to the naked eye. She had a trail of blood trickling from her temple. A box of supplies was conveniently placed next to her to make the entire ordeal look accidental. A syringe containing heroine was also discarded beside her, the tip stained by the crimson liquid forming a pool near it. It was brilliant really. Making the girl appear as though she was too incapacitated to remember being taken advantage of. But he was smarter than that, than Aizen. Gin thought of himself as the one element Aizen didn't foresee. He had no prior connections Aizen. There was no way to know of his own masked identity.

However, the thing that pushed him toward the precipice he was on, was the very thing that could be used to diminish his will and ability to defeat Aizen.

Rangiku Matsumoto.

She was his best friend, his lover, the woman he'd one day hoped to bear children with. The women that followed his intricate deceptions because of her unwavering love for him. She was the one being that could single-handedly reveal the profundity of his sinister soul.

He loved her in a way that crippled him, a way that hurt him and left him aching for days on end. It twisted his spirit in ways he never imagined it could bend for another. His love was as deep as it was wide and most importantly, it was completely and wholly **undetectable**. Ran could see him for what he was, but she couldn't begin to fathom the things he would do for her happiness in this world, for her justice she deserved. And every ounce of strength within him would never cease to give up on his own superfluous desires to serve the greater good of Rangiku Matsumoto.

"Gin?...Are you watching me sleep?" his love asked rousing form the deep slumber he'd been observing her lovely features in.

"Ya' know I can't help but stare at ya' darlin'" he admitted coyly pulling her incapacitated body toward his as she blinked her celestial blue eyes at him, waking up slowly.

"Gin, stop it!" she cried slapping his chest playfully when she caught hold of wandering hand snaking down south, and then rubbing her sleepy eyes thoroughly with a smirk planted on her lips. He admired the glow of her cheeks and the waves of her hair that framed them. He leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead to ease his stirring heart of its inclination to reveal every secret he'd been harboring over the past few years from her. He despised himself for being able to delude her of the truth. He loved her more than he was capable of, and far less than she deserved.

"Gin?" she asked again, confused by the hesitancy in his actions and the tenderness lurking behind them.

He leaned down to press his head into the crook of her neck, lingering there, becoming lost in the floral scent of Rangiku's strawberry locks.

"Yes, darlin'?" he whispered softly, easing his plastered smile until his face was completely relaxed in the folds of his lover.

"Are you okay, Gin?" she asked worried, maternal anxiety taking prevalence in her tone, while she stroked her delicate finger throughout his silver tresses and to the nape of his neck.

"Almost." He offered, telling her the honest truth in a cryptic manner as he normally did. Rangiku was never fooled by his attempts to dodge her concerns. From the way he was being something big was about to happen, something huge.

* * *

Rangiku looked on as Gin exited the apartment in his normal way, she'd pretended she was asleep again so he'd slip out without a thought to her following him. Enough was enough, she needed to find out what was so important that it kept him from sharing himself with her for all these long miserable years.

She arose quickly when she heard the metallic _click_ of the apartment door shutting. In a hurry, she ran a comb through her unruly ginger locks and threw on a leather jacket and was on her way to trail after Gin. She put a hand to her stomach as she kept moving. She'd been feeling unordinarily queasy about this time every day for the past two weeks. She dismissed it as nerves once again and pushed onward.

She saw his frame round a corner and she did the same, she prided herself that she hadn't been caught yet. Gin was always so keen to everyone's hidden agendas. As they continued she noticed a familiar pattern in his route. This was the way to the Aizen Center of Medicine, the hospital she avoided at all costs. Her brows furrowed her blue orbs clouding with confusion. Surely, she thought, her heart rate increasing, he hadn't been this close the whole time? Only a few miles away? She became lost in sadness as her escalating fear was further proved as they made their way over a crosswalk.

Had Gin lied to her all this time? Had he been so unhappy yet scared to admit his true feelings, that he'd deceived her into believing he was a part of something greater than nursing?

She couldn't tear her stinging eyes away from his lithe form as he slowly turned around to face her his frantic eyes opening wide. He seemed to be mouthing something important as he moved towards her but she couldn't make it out before hearing the blaring cacophony of a truck's horn screeching in her ear. As she turned towards the sound all she could see was bright yellow lights before being billowed across to the wayside of the road.

* * *

The last thing she remembered was the fearful expression of Gin etched into her eyelids as she slowly allowed the darkness to overtake her sight.

"Page Dr. Schiffer!" Gin bellowed as he ran into the hospital's lobby carrying Rangiku in his arms. Or rather, what was remaining of Rangiku. He could tell by the way her arms were distorted and the mangled appearance of her legs that the bones were broken, possibly in pieces.

Of all things he expected, watching his Ran be bowled over by an eighteen-wheeler was not one of them.

He recognized some of the staff rushing towards him. A gurney was laid before him and he set Ran down as gently as he could with his shaking arms. His composure momentarily compromised in his shock. He registered a small relatively obese man run into the building. He held recognition in his features when he saw Gin and ran to him.

"Is she okay? That girl? I-I didn't even see her- "

"Call the police." He interrupted, his façade no longer betraying his feelings.

"Call them and explain how you just mutilated a woman because you failed to pay attention." He finished lowly stalking off towards the direction Rangiku had departed in, a scowl spreading over his lips.

* * *

Orihime sat dejected, flustered even that Ulquiorra broke their moment to answer a silly phone call. But the more she thought about the more she considered the things a phone call could lead to. Maybe it was the mayor calling and begging Ulquiorra to swoop in and do some funky brain stuff to bad guys, or maybe it was the president asking Ulquiorra to investigate an alien discovery and since he rarely showed any emotion anyway he was perfect for the job.

Actually, he was so devoid of external emotions the man could be an alien himself. She pictured herself sitting atop a spaceship with her hair done up in an exotic fashion as Ulquiorra waited for her his true form resembling his human disguise minus the green streaks tracking down his cheek and the antennae shooting from his raven hair. She smiled goofily at the thought as she gazed at Ulquiorra's back. Her smile faded quickly when she noticed the haunches of Ulquiorra's back raise slightly and his shoulders tense. He clicked the phone off and turned to her, the emotions rolling in his eyes enough to alert her something was not right.

"Woman, we have to go."

Orihime busted into the door to Rangiku's room with tears running down the pale skin of her face. Ulquiorra followed shortly after gloving his hands before running a flashlight over Rangiku's pupils.

"Her pupils are blown we need to relieve the pressure on her brain immediately." He stated, collected as always.

"I need a neuro-drill." He ordered a nurse standing nearby. He parted Rangiku's strawberry-blonde curls that were stained with blood until he could get a clear view of her scalp. He sterilized the area and then began drilling into her friend's skull, leaving her breathless as she covered her mouth with shaking hands.

She could hear the audible wheeze of pressure releasing from the hole in Rangiku's head and watched diligently as Ulquiorra blotted the blood spilling freely.

"Retrieve a crash cart, when she wakes up there is a likely chance she will enter atrial fibrillation." He demanded, watching Rangiku closely.

It was in this moment she noticed Gin standing in the corner his presence nearly gone. The look on his face reminded her of the expression he wore the day his child had been pronounced a still-born, and the look was every bit as haunting now as it had been then.

Rangiku's lids fluttered open as she seized, breathing erratically clawing at the nurses and doctors stationed around her. It was in this moment that Gin stepped in momentarily placating her friend before her eyes yet again flickered shut and the monitor hooked to her began screaming for attention. Sure enough, Ulquiorra's prediction had been correct and her heart began beating without resting. If not stopped she would die.

Orihime watched Gin as her former co-workers charged the defibrillator paddles to shock her dear friend. He shouldn't have been bearing witness to this trauma.

Her gaze retrained unto Rangiku when the monitor settled revealing a normal heart rate. She sighed in relief as Ulquiorra continued to assess the damage.

"she has multiple fractures and contusions along all extremities, page OB and get an ultrasound in here immediately to reveal any internal bleeding." He ordered as he turned to an intern and demanded a head CT as soon as possible.

The doctors in pink scrubs soon arrived lugging the large fetal monitor and cut off Rangiku's clothes. Her stomach was slightly distended to the visible eye. Ulquiorra turned to Gin as the nurses lathered blue gel over Rangiku's stomach.

"Gin, is there any chance she could be pregnant?" Gin remained silent until he opened his mouth to answer, only to be interrupted by a:

"We've got a heartbeat!" The OB exclaimed using her probe to depict the small fetus growing inside Rangiku. Orihime felt happiness well up inside her until she realized the danger not only this child, but that her friend was in. Nearly all her bones were broken. She likely had internal bleeding in the abdomen and head. The only miracle aside from the baby, was that her entire spine remained intact and functioning.

Still, the amount of recovery and pain Rangiku would be in _**if **_she survived the repair surgeries was beyond her imagination. It was likely this baby would be lost along the way.

"How far is she?" Ulquiorra asked, interrupting her morbid thoughts.

"30 weeks, sir." The doctor answered.

"Gin." He stated. The silver-haired man looked in his direction.

"We'll have to deliver the child, if there is any hope of saving Matsumoto." He continued.

Gin looked lost in this sea of new information assaulting him. A nurse shoved a consent form in his hands and he signed not certain of his hands movements as the scribbled across paper after paper.

"Prepare O.R. 2." Ulquiorra commanded looking to Orihime for assurance she nodded as they wheeled her friend out of the room and towards hours of slicing and dicing and sewing her body back together. Her friend would become a mother today. Gin was going to be a father today. The baby was premature but it's chance of survival was not minute. This baby was ensured to be delivered alive and breathing.

* * *

When Ulquiorra returned to Rangiku's room in ICU he held a very solemn tone to his naturally indifferent features. Rangiku was miraculously breathing on her own despite the damage her body had taken. She was nearly completely covered in bandages and dressings though. Gin sat at her side holding her hand in his with his smile still missing.

"The surgery went well despite minor complications…" Ulquiorra began observing his acquaintance carefully.

"…however, there is a possibility, due to the amount of trauma Matsumoto's body received in the accident, she will not awaken from the coma she has entered currently." Gin said nothing in return. He didn't even flinch. Orihime and Ulquiorra stood there for what felt like ages before a tiny nearly undetectable utterance escaped his lips.

"The child…where is the child…" Ulquiorra's brow furrowed as his gaze reverted to Rangiku.

"Your daughter is in the NICU, despite her stature it seems she will be able to survive this episode." He finished.

"Gin?" Orihime interjected searching her friend's face for any example of acknowledgment.

"Thank you for all of your efforts today, Ulquiorra." He replied, the sound of his words signaling his desire to be left alone with Rangiku.

Obliging they exited the scene. Orihime caught the arm of Ulquiorra as he made his way towards the exit.

"The baby…" She sniffled tugging him towards the NICU.

"…she's all alone." She strained as they entered the row of babies contained in incubators. She stopped in front of the tank labeled "Ichimaru-Matsumoto" and peered into the tank tears still pouring from her stormy orbs.

He stared at her puzzled by how she could be smiling despite the endeavors her close friends endured around her the entire evening.

"She's got Ran's mark by her lips." Ulquiorra examined the infant scanning over her face until he located the small dark prick that mirrored the blemish on her mother's chin.

"Indeed."

They spent many hours into the evening watching after the little girl as she fought to remain strong in her little heater. She had no idea the amount of care at her disposal only standing a few feet from her.

* * *

Ulquiorra awoke fully clothed in his scrubs from the previous day, his green eyes slowly opening as he made out the ceiling to his bedroom. He propped himself up on his elbows groggily and noticed Orihime stationed beside him also wearing her garments from the day prior. They must've fallen asleep upon returning to his apartment in the early hours of the morning, he thought to himself. He rose from the bed and retrieved a blanket he kept stored nearby spreading it over the woman so she would awaken chilled.

He disrobed while entering the bathroom and entered the shower allowing it to quell his racing mind.

There was a very good chance the woman would be rather hysterical today. And while he was eternally amused by her antics he was not well-equipped to deal with the irrationalities of the female mind. To further perplex him, Orihime's capacity for feeling emotion was triple if not quadruple the amount most women contained.

He sighed.

Exiting the shower, he became aware of the woman's lucidity from the monstrous yawn he heard across the door. His lips twitched upwards. She would never fail to entertain him.

"Woman, avert your eyes." He called out before stepping into the cool air of his bedroom with only a towel concealing himself from Orihime's eyes.

Orihime blinked her face reddening considerably as she took him in. His muscles were etched in delicate lines across his abdomen and flared out slightly in his arms, revealing a lithe, yet muscular body. She could sense his delight in her embarrassment and she frowned at him. He turned his back on her giving her an entirely new fantasy as she memorized the raises and indentations of his shoulder blades surrounded by distinct rippling muscles.

She pictured them moving beneath her fingers as she drove her nails against the skin of his back. She could imagine his entrancing eyes taunting her as she whimpered for him to please her. And just as she could feel his weight begin to settle atop her, as usual, her daydream was cut short by a light blue button down being slung over his shoulders as he buttoned the article of clothing, effectively obscuring her view.

"Good morning." She sighed flopping back down on the bed.

"Good morning." He reciprocated monotonously. She watched him turn to her slipping a black leather belt into the first loop of his pants.

"Well," she chirped.

"I guess I should probably go get a shower." She finished rising from the comfort of Ulquiorra's bed.

"Actually…" Ulquiorra began effectively halting her retreat downstairs.

"…that is a matter we need to discuss." He added. She tilted her head confused and he ventured towards her fishing something out of his pocket. Her face prickled with scarlet as he opened his hand to reveal a small brass key.

"Ulquiorra? Are you-?" she couldn't finish because he silenced her with a swift chaste kiss that left her feeling dizzy. He placed the key in her hands kneeling to her level. He stared into her frazzled grey orbs as she tried to make sense of what was occurring.

"Orihime Inoue. Would you please move in?" he asked his features softening like they rarely did for her.

"Y-Yes." She stammered feeling heat creep up into her cheeks as she clutched the key tightly in her fists. She felt like crying almost because of how giddy she was, in fact she was so paralyzed with happiness that she momentarily forgot about Rangiku and the child she had just had fighting for their lives a few miles away.

As if on cue the phone in Ulquiorra's pocket began buzzing incessantly and he pulled the device out to answer.

He continued to say 'mhmm' as the conversation progressed until shutting the device off again and placing it back in his pocket. He rose from the ground and stared down at Orihime.

"There are boxes in the closet next to the bedroom." She smiled knowing he'd been planning this because Ulquiorra never did anything rashly. She had suspicions he was using the offer to distract her from the situation in his work. She found his planning endearing.

"You may organize this apartment however you desire, Mrs. Inoue." He assured her and then exited leaving her to her own thoughts aside from the small midnight black canine jumping at her feet.

* * *

Orihime wasted no time in beginning to pack up her apartment. She threw everything into the boxes Ulquiorra had set aside and tried her hardest to move them up a floor. She moved box after box until she was left with the biggest and heaviest one. Using all the might she could muster she heaved the box into her arms and grunted with each step as she moved toward the elevator. She met another dilemma when trying to press the button. Leaving her faith in her strength she reached out press the number 4 and managed to lose her balance and drop the box directly onto her shin. She heard a snap and felt pain shoot up her appendage until she bit her tongue. She tried her hardest to keep her quivering lips shut as she edged herself ever so carefully towards the buttons on the side. She managed to press the button with an L inscribed in it. When the elevator began its descent, she shut her eyes tight as pain brought tears to brim her lids. When she finally reached the ground and the doors gave way to direct view of Mashiro huddled at the desk she called out for help.

* * *

Ulquiorra broke out in an all-out sprint towards the emergency room when he was paged for the consult of Orihime Inoue. He scolded himself for allowing her to pack things without his presence. She incapable of maintaining her balance and they both knew it.

"Damn it." He cursed as he turned a corner shoving through several medical personnel. He should have been there to catch her.

"Ulquiorra!" he sighed with relief to see she was not in pain. In fact, she was smiling with all her pearly white teeth and waving enthusiastically at him as he slowed his advance nearing her bed, somewhat out of breath.

"Are you injured?" he questioned. She nodded her head yes and grabbed for his hand counting the fingers.

"The nurse gave something called morphine so I don't feel a thing!" she chided away swaying side to side and humming. He found her actions comical and asked her to remain still while he examined the break.

Luckily, the woman had managed to break her tibia, unfortunately, she would be further inhibited in her balance and movement. He set to setting the bone and saw her wince slightly but otherwise she continued singing along to whatever song was running through her over-active head.

He began rolling her leg in a small cast to ensure that she would not injure herself any further and asked her what color she would prefer the wrapping on the surface be. She couldn't decide between the options and finally ended with asking for all of them. He sighed and abided by her request because he felt guilt weigh on him for not being there to stop her from suffering in the first place.

"Ulquiorra-kun…" he turned to the woman's coo. Her face was distorted in confusion.

"Why do you look so sad?" she asked placing a hand on either of his cheeks and squeezing them together childishly.

"I am not depressed woman; you are simply intoxicated." She frowned deeper and continued to assault his features by massaging his thick brows.

"_I am not depressed woman; you are simply intoxicated_." She mimicked warping her voice to a lower level.

He gripped her wrists and placed them back by her sides, rising from his position. He pulled a small black device with a red button in its center. He handed it to her.

"Should you need anything, press that button Orihime. I want to ensure that you are absolutely healthy before I take you back to Las Noches. Therefore, you will remain here overnight in the presence of doctors." He instructed in hopes should she have any complication he would be notified immediately. He tucked a strand of red hair behind her ear openly before exiting. Nurses flocked to her location to move her into a private room but she couldn't keep her eyes from watching him. He was so elusive she felt he might disappear one day without a trace and she would be left with nothing but memories of his emerald eyes and slightly changing expressions.

* * *

"_Orihime…"_ Orihime wrestled around seeing nothing aside from darkness as she heard a familiar voice call out her name softly.

"_Orihime."_ It beckoned her more seriously as she continued to wriggle around.

"Orihime." She opened her eyes to find the face of her brother Sora staring intently back at her. She looked at him with joy but confusion nipping at the feeling. Sora was gone. He had been dead a long time, since she was little.

"S-Sora?" he put a finger to her lips and it perplexed her further. There was warmth in his flesh.

"Don't speak Orihime." He insisted. There was worry crossing his features.

"Beware of the doctor, little sister." He warned, caution reigning prevalent in his silver eyes as he began to vanish. She called out for him repeatedly, terror seizing her chest as the darkness engulfed her mouth and lungs and lastly her eyes.

* * *

Orihime gasped as she awoke from her dream, feeling the stickiness of sweat on the back of her neck. She searched for a sign of her deceased sibling and found him nowhere in sight. She sighed in relief upon taking in the familiar setting of the hospital room. That was until she felt the hazel eyes of another burning into her pale skin.

"Hello, Orihime."


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: ****Here we are readers new and old. This chapter will serve as the climax while the last one will be used to ease your minds about where are beloved characters find themselves after this whole onslaught. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Disclaimer: ****I do not own Bleach or any other copyrighted material.**

* * *

**Lie To Me Chapter 24**

* * *

"Hello, Orihime."

As Orihime was greeted by this strange man with wavy brown locks and a chilling smile she found herself unable to ask him who he was. In fact, she found herself unable to speak whatsoever. Her tongue was numb as well as her arms and legs, minus the tips of her fingers that twitched in confusion, even the muscles in her mouth could barely contort in disarray.

What was happening?

"You are probably wondering why you cannot speak, or move." The stranger said moving into her line of sight as she furrowed her eyebrows. There was something in his movements that left her feeling as though she was still dreaming. He had an authoritative way about him that made her feel as though she should trust him, but he also caused every one of her auburn hairs to stand on end.

"I will explain it to you, Orihime." He chided pulling a shiny pointed object from his lab coat. Upon squinting she made it out to be a syringe.

"This is my favorite concoction of drugs that this fine establishment has to offer. It is a mixture of various anesthetics light enough to keep to conscious…" he looked her straight in the eye, his smile widening slightly.

"…but powerful enough to keep your muscles paralyzed…you can see me, you can hear me, you can _feel_ me, but you cannot hinder me in pleas for mercy." He finished. Orihime tried to call out for help. She tried to scream but nothing came forth. She glowered at this stranger with every ounce of malevolence she could muster, but under her attempts to look brave she felt like she was drowning in her fears.

The man chuckled heartily, thoroughly diminishing her spirit.

"Do you think that look will win you any salvation?" Her glare faltered.

"Allow me to introduce myself, I am Sosuke Aizen." Her silver orbs widened brimming with tears of terror. This was the man who had been locked away in prison for molestation of minors. He was a suspected murderer. He was an absolute monster.

"I see, you recognize my name. However, to the staff of this hospital I am known as Sosuke Hinamori thanks to my beloved wife. Nevertheless, by my true name alone surely you are aware of what I am capable of." Aizen came close to her gently stroking her cheek with the back of his hand. She felt tears escape her as they ran down the length of her face.

"Now, that is the look I relish in seeing, Orihime." She tried to hide the fright consuming her but the effort proved useless. She tore her eyes away from Aizen's soulless façade unable to restrain her lips from trembling in her frightened state.

She watched as he pulled the sanctity of her blankets from her slowly, observing her every minute expression in joy as she continued to cry fearfully.

"Now, now is there any need for such tears?" he whispered as he placed a soft kiss to her forehead, his lips leaving her feeling branded. She wondered why he would single her out in this place. She desperately attempted to claw his sin-infested skin away from her body in dismay. He retaliated by sliding a hand to her waist and tugging upwards gently at the fabric of her gown to expose more and more of the creamy pallor of her thighs. He chuckled again.

"I believe an explanation as to why this is going to occur to you is in order, my dear Princess." He murmured into her ear as she tried to think of something…anything that would alert the people only feet away of her distress.

"You see, this is no simply wrong place, wrong time kind of situation. I have chosen you for a purpose." He began running his steady thumb over her quivering lips.

"If you must blame someone for this act…you may blame Ulquiorra." She peered into his hazel eyes wondering what he was talking about. Ulquiorra would never serve her up as some sort of dish to the likes of this man. He wouldn't.

"Hmmm, you don't believe me?" he laughed. Tugging a strand of her scarlet hair harshly.

"I have followed Ulquiorra since he was a mere orphan falling into the cracks of the foster care. It was so easy to convince his precious mother to take him in like he was the solution to her inability to bare her own children." He looked down at her sinisterly the smile ever-present on his face.

"You must understand, it was no accident that he ended up with her. It was all in my plan from the beginning." He continued.

She wanted to ask him why but it was to no avail. Her muscles defied her.

"Ulquiorra contained a delicacy that treaded on the threshold between the capacity for goodness, and the compulsion for darkness. I wished to cultivate that rare talent and guide him into enlightenment." Aizen's smile turned into a scowl.

"But that woman managed to throw a curve into my plans by convincing him there was hope in the world. And that hope I have come to believe…is you." He peered at her dangerously his nimble fingers making easy work of the strings holding up her gown as though he'd practiced. The fabric slouched but didn't uncover her modesty fully. She cringed.

"I'm afraid I got ahead of myself in my anger and made the mistake of killing that woman, however it ended up serving my cause because Ulquiorra managed to witness the end of her life." Orihime thought back to the picture album she'd found in Ulquiorra's bedroom. She wondered if the woman Aizen was referring to was the same one in the picture she'd kept in her own belongings. That dark-haired lady with a benevolent disposition and a kind smile. Aizen had taken that from him?

"However, the seed she hoped to cultivate had already sprouted within him as he came to know you, to watch you, and cling to your ways." Aizen explained making her stomach quell.

"I could've murdered you, I could've raped you a long time ago but…" he paused reveling in her anguish.

"…he never would be so deeply devastated as he would be were I to take you now." He ended quietly as a thought finally came to mind to foil Aizen's plan to obliterate her.

She felt her spasming fingers tap something round and smooth like plastic. She remembered the special pager Ulquiorra had bestowed on her before his departure. Shutting her eyes tightly she tried to will her fingers to press the button in the center. He would come for her. He would come.

"The loss of you will effectively eliminate Ulquiorra's singular hope in this world, and capture the true essence of despair he will emanate _for me_." Orihime felt the rubbery red circle in the center of the device and casted her newfound undaunted gaze back to Aizen in satisfaction as she managed to press it. Her fear momentarily discarded by the belief that her green-eyed lover would save her.

Aizen observed her carefully, noticing the miniscule shift in her silver orbs from bleakness to indignation. He witnessed the slight inch of movement underneath the sky-colored blanket Orihime had left covering her secret plot. He ripped it away from her leaving only her feet hidden by the sheet.

"You are a clever woman." He said lowly as he swiped the pager from her with ease. Her flame of rebellion extinguishing by the second.

He took pride in the return of her panic as he slowly mortified Orihime by exposing her to him. He made sure she watched as he snaked his hands across her breasts and abdomen, smirking as beads of cold sweat appeared on her pale surface.

"That little act is going to cost you…"

* * *

Gin sat dutifully beside Rangiku as her state deteriorated and then became better, only to fall apart once again. He wasn't quite sure what time it was, or whether it was day or night. The sounds of the machines ensuring Ran's survival lead him into a delirium. It was a combination of emotional drainage, sleep-deprivation, and constant beeping. He felt like he was being hypnotized into a state of exhaustion that he was too afraid to miss something to relieve himself of. His face would never betray this, however.

He zoned out on the heart monitor that measured the constant beat of Ran's organ. He then focused on her face which looked foreign to him. It was swelled up and marked by blue and purple hues of bruising. Tubes were stuffed into her like she was a pin cushion and they were the needles.

"Ran…" he whispered hoarsely.

"…we have a little girl, Ran…" he continued exasperated by the effort. His eyelids were getting heavy as he swayed to rest his head atop her hand. Was she dying? He wondered as he thought about their child sitting below them. He hadn't even seen the girl but he knew the moment he did it would all be over. He couldn't allow another thing to wreak havoc on his emotions. Rangiku was more than enough. He knew that if she were awake she'd slap him and tell him he was being a fool. Maybe he needed that chaste insult to drudge him out of this comatose state. That was his child. Blackness wavered across his vision lapping at it like waves of an ocean. He didn't fight it. He couldn't reason his way from it. It was inevitable.

_BRRrrrinnnGGggggg!_

Gin shot upright breathing fast as he reached for his buzzing phone. He didn't know how long he'd been unconscious. He felt for Ran's hand and his tension eased slightly when he located it, gripping it tightly.

He answered the call to hear a very frantic Izuru. The words he said left Gin with so much adrenaline pumping through his veins the phone slipped from his hands and landed on the floor of the tiled room with a dull thud. He rose quickly.

Orihime was in the hospital. Izuru had just told him she'd been admitted hours ago. This was his chance to rectify the wrong that had happened to Ran all those years ago. He looked back to the strawberry-blonde his palms clenching. He would fix it.

"Nurse!" he waved plastering a fake grin on his face.

"Stay with this patient do not leave her side." He commanded walking away as the brunette gripped his sleeve.

"Nurse Ichimaru what're you- "he interrupted her swiftly.

"If I return and you are not by her bedside I promise…" he opened his icy eyes and stared into her, petrifying the woman.

"…that you will not enjoy the outcome." With that he sprinted toward the room of Orihime Inoue, this entire moment was what he'd put himself and Ran through hell for. He would not miss this chance.

* * *

Ulquiorra was still in his navy scrubs, he'd barely made it back to Las Noches before feeling a buzz in his jacket pocket. Murciealgo was wagging her midnight-colored tail as he stroked her head gingerly, rolling the food bag and placing it on the counter of his kitchen neatly.

When he read that the page was directly from the woman, he felt his stomach drop.

"Damn it." He muttered and made his exit from the place, leaving the door unlocked in his hurry.

She was in trouble.

He mentally kicked himself for not staying at her bedside until she was entirely fine. He could be the reason she escaped him. He was the cause of any suffering she was undergoing for his failure to foresee this possibility of complication.

He hailed a cab and shuffled around inside his pocket to produce money the moment it stopped in front of the Aizen Center for Medicine. He rushed towards the hospital flinging his coat to the wayside in his chaotic thoughts.

Was it a blood clot? Could there be an infection they hadn't caught in post-op?

He played over the outcomes of these possibilities for what seemed like an eternity because his legs couldn't reach the woman fast enough.

She needed him.

If it were an infection, it could have reached the bone and she could risk an amputation to save her life. A blood clot could cause her to die within seconds once it reached the frontal lobe. The air would cause the brain to implode. He pummeled over residents and interns in his dash towards Orihime.

He would not let her be alone.

* * *

Orihime eyed the broken pieces of plastic littering the floor of her room. She was powerless, defenseless, she could not even cover herself from the eyes of Aizen. She couldn't hold back tears. She couldn't escape her petrification. Rape was never something she considered happening to her. She never believed she would be violated like that. Yet, here she was only staving off time until she was inevitably over-powered.

She just wanted to see Ulquiorra. She wanted to see him one more time before Aizen took advantage of her and then disposed of her remnants.

She wanted to see the softness in his green eyes that he only used when he was staring at her. She wanted the familiarity and warmth that she found in the sanctuary of his sleek, toned arms.

She wanted a choice in what happened to her.

She didn't want to be taken like this.

She tried again to call out for Ulquiorra but she remained in the loudest silence of her life.

"Watch carefully, Orihime." Aizen called.

"Watch as I immobilize your only hope and force him to witness as I corrupt his only chance at a life of meaning." She kept trying. But all that would escape was a tiny whimper. The smile that spread on Aizen's handsome features made her nauseous.

She shut her eyes and did something she'd nearly given up on after the death of her brother. She prayed.

She didn't quite know to whom or what was hearing her pitiful pleas but she hoped they would win her some favor with the universe. She asked to see Ulquiorra once more before it was all over. Just once.

She heard the door rattle and felt like her heart was going to beat out of her chest.

Had the universe heard her cries?

She tried to move, to fling herself before Ulquiorra despite her exposed assets because she could save him from feeling like this. She wanted to protect him with every cell in her body.

However, the man standing there was not who she had hoped for. First, she saw silver hair and then wide blue eyes that narrowed into slits. It was Gin who had come to her and instantly she knew that he knew what was going on. But as she tried to get him to turn his eyes toward Aizen, the criminal stuck the syringe into the side of his chest from behind before he could react.

Gin fell to his knees clutching the area he'd been hit at, and Orihime watched him glower at Aizen with more hatred than she could even describe. It was like he embodied the detest evident in his icy stare. Aizen snickered as he stood over the man.

"Well, it's about time Gin." Surprise colored Gin's features as he continued to slump towards the ground, more and more of his muscles freezing. Orihime wondered how and why he'd appeared in the first place.

How did he know she was in trouble?

"I see you are perplexed but don't fancy yourself. I knew you were investigating me the moment I met you, Gin Ichimaru." He gloated, the pride clear in his brown eyes.

"I knew you would pursue me the moment I saw your face after _examining_ Rangiku Matsumoto." Gin spat at Aizen as the doctor whispered to the detective making him shudder in fury.

Orihime had never seen Gin so infuriated. She could tell that every part of him wish to rip this man to shreds. And she cringed in her entirety at his words regarding her friend. Her sweet friend who'd already been through so much more than she deserved.

"Ran…giku…" Gin sputtered as he finally collapsed on the floor his facial nerves relaxing but his eyes still retaining the same amount of venom.

Aizen chuckled again and bent down to turn Gin's head towards Orihime. Orihime and Gin looked at one another and he closed his eyes doing her the decency of not looking at her in the vulnerable position she was forced into.

"Now…" Aizen began returning to his place aside Orihime's whose tears of fear and anger sprouted yet again.

"…let's finish what we started, Orihime."

* * *

When Ulquiorra finally arrived unveiled the scene behind Orihime's door there were two things he became certain of…

The first being that the woman was hurt…

And the second was that he would murder Sosuke Aizen.

She was crying, the woman, she was crying. She was completely bare, devoid of any coverings. Naked. Her long auburn hair was disheveled.

Her silver red-rimmed eyes held more fear in them than he had ever seen and it enraged him.

"Who…" he started stepping into the room feeling the atmosphere change around him. His eyes downcast.

"Who is responsible for this, woman." He spoke lowly, the fury he emitted lacing in every syllable of his words.

"Ah, Ulquiorra." He turned toward the direction of the all too familiar voice.

"You've made it at last." He finished. The man before him he'd once believed to be Sosuke Hinamori, the god-like man in charge of the hospital in which he currently stood. But now, he believed his identity to be that of another that he'd suspected long ago.

"Aizen." He shook, his fists clenching and his face contorting into disgust. He knew deep down, and he didn't act on his suspicion sooner.

Orihime sat mortified starting to feel the tip of her tongue again. She pushed it against her teeth.

"Ull…" she tried softly, her mouth moving ever so slightly.

Ulquiorra turned towards her, hearing the small whimper, and she didn't recognize him. His emerald depths held so much despair and rage that it literally scared her. His normally stone-like composure was gone, and the standing being before her reminded her of a demon.

He softened his stare only slightly when he looked upon her. He could see the red tracks down her swollen eyes and the rips in her hospital gown, her trembling lips, the slight shakes of her limbs.

Had she been violated?

"What exactly is going on here?" he seethed through clenched teeth.

"Well, you should consider this your rebirth, Ulquiorra. I am going to release you from your misconceptions about this life you've been leading over the past several years." Aizen began casually stepping laying a hand on Orihime's shaking cheek, stroking it gently and then running another hand through his brown locks.

"This girl seems to have thrown you off the path towards greatness…" Orihime's eye enlarged as she watched him reveal a metal scalpel from his pocket. She looked to Ulquiorra.

"…I am doing you a kindness." She closed her eyes sure that this was it for her, and took in Ulquiorra's face one last time, until she opened them to see Ulquiorra standing before her shielding her from the blow intended for her, and holding back Aizen's hand which had embedded the tip of the scalpel in Ulquiorra's shoulder. Blood started to seep through his scrubs.

"I will not allow this." Ulquiorra spat landing a blow in the doctor's temple as he stumbled away from the hospital bed.

"I **will** have my way with her Ulquiorra, and then you'll thank me for this one day." He smiled advancing again towards Ulquiorra, a smile still plastered on.

"_**I said it's**_ _**futile**_!" Ulquiorra shouted spinning around to plant his foot in Aizen's abdomen.

The larger man felt the blow but it didn't stop him for long, Orihime looked on as Aizen made another slice in Ulquiorra's side. The raven-haired man stumbled back holding his side while keeping conscious of his placement between Aizen and the woman. It was at this moment he finally noticed another presence within the room. Gin Ichimaru sat motionless on the floor staring at him dead in the eyes and then shifting his glance toward his hip. Ulquiorra noted the hint and remained where he was.

"You know, your mother said something similar to me when I threatened to kill you." Aizen said staring at the blood glazed scalpel in his hand, twisting it so that the dim lights outside the room made the crimson liquid glint.

"She begged me to take her instead, so I happily obliged…" Orihime watched as Ulquiorra attempted to tackle Aizen but he had already seen it coming. The doctor moved out of the way as Ulquiorra was changing his plan of action and sunk the sharp medical tool he had deep into Ulquiorra's thigh. Ulquiorra fell on his knee's before Aizen and Aizen looked on pleased.

"You're a doctor, Ulquiorra. If you take out that scalpel, you'll bleed to death." He turned his eyes back to Orihime.

"Now back to what I was saying…" Ulquiorra looked to Orihime who was frantically shifting her wide eyes between Aizen and himself. The terror within their grey depths leaving his chest pounding erratically.

"…I thought about doing this to your mother…" As Ulquiorra began moving towards Gin as fast as he could push his body despite the pains shooting throughout it.

"…but seeing as my blade has been…preoccupied, this will have to do…" Aizen wrapped his hands around Orihime's thin neck and began applying pressure. She couldn't even try to claw his hands away.

Ulquiorra felt something metal and large in Gin's waistband and pulled it out a feeling of relief overcoming him.

"I believe I already said it, but since you didn't understand me the first time I will say it once more…" Ulquiorra aimed the object at Aizen's head, as the doctor turned and narrowed his hazel eyes. His smile faltered and was replaced by a scowl.

"You fool…" Aizen muttered his hands dropping from Orihime's bruised neck.

"…I will not allow you to harm Orihime Inoue."

_BAaam!_

The gun in Ulquiorra's hands clattered to the floor shortly after Aizen's body. A pool of red began surrounding the floor and Ulquiorra crawled towards the woman, determined to get to her before his own condition caused him to pass out.

"Orihime..." He called quietly, lifting himself with much effort to be at her bedside. She was looking at him like she was still afraid, but she couldn't speak. He held her frail hand and pulled the blankets to cover her skin. He noted the brief ease of her eyes.

"…I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner…thank God…you're still alive…" Orihime wished she could have spoken in these few moments where it was just him and her. This man had saved her from being murdered. He shot a man just to get to her, just to protect her. She would never be able to express her feelings well enough to tell him that she loved him. Even more than that she wanted to say anything. She held his gaze which was filled with relief and tried to show him. He seemed to understand because his expression mollified and a small smile was evident on his sharp features.

Soon, nurses flooded the room and paused for a moment, unsure of how to proceed due to the gunshot they'd heard. But upon immediately recognizing Ulquiorra, they set to work bringing in drugs, suture kits, and sterilizing agents one by one.

Orihime felt Ulquiorra's pale hand slip from hers and panicked. When the nurses managed to reverse her anesthetics pumping throughout her, she fought them tooth and nail. She didn't even know why it was like her body had shifted into autopilot. She clawed and scratched partly because she couldn't see Ulquiorra, she didn't feel like it was over unless he was there to reassure her. She needed him to be there.

"Ms. Inoue." He called and she stiffened and then relaxed.

"You are safe now, Orihime, let the nurses aid you." She did as she was told, and laid calmly as they began probing her body for cuts and all they could find was ligatures on her neck from the brief moments were the man lying dead on the floor had cut off her supply of air.

They shot painkillers through her veins and then gave her a new gown to put on herself. She was grateful for the coverage. They moved her out of the murder scene on a gurney into the hallway where she was treated further.

Gin was up and talking now he looked to her and asked if she was alright but she didn't respond. She was mute and no amount of coaxing would be able to bring her out of silence until she good and ready.

Her eyes found Ulquiorra's form, he was bandaged and looked like he'd been in a war zone. Nevertheless, his presence and the life in his eyes alleviated her distress, she kept her grey orbs trained on the slender man.

* * *

"Ulquiorra." Gin said, pulling the doctor from his thoughts as he too looked at the shell of the woman he'd come to love. She was in there somewhere, but she was hiding behind fear. It would his job to eradicate that.

"What were you doing in there, Gin?" Ulquiorra asked narrowing his intense green eyes at the man.

"I guess it's bout' time I started explanin' myself to ya." He said innocently rubbing the back of his head as he looked at the suspicious surgeon before him.

Gin pulled a small metal device from his chest pocket that had a wire attached to its circular shape, Ulquiorra held the device and examined it curiously. Gin also withdrew his wallet, in which there was a badge inscribed with the bold letters F.B.I.

"What he tried to do to Hime' there was exactly what he did too Ran a long time ago…I couldn't just let him get away with somethin' like that ya know? So I've been waiting all this time to finally get him and then the sonofabitch knocks me out." Gin recounted and his smile dissipated.

"Ya know his lackey even caught ahold of Grimmjow before he could help me set him up…but Nel doesn't know that…" the silver-haired man said lowly.

"It will remain that way." Ulquiorra said solemnly his hands clenching wishing to beat the lifeless body only a few meters away from them further into a mangled pulp.

"I see." Ulquiorra noted apologetically as he could muster and returned the small recording equipment to the detective.

"Why her?" Ulquiorra asked as he returned his gaze to the woman.

"Well, I believe that bastard already told ya. Some people are just messed up in the head." Gin said and then waved as he turned in the direction of the ICU.

"Do me a favor and make sure the cops know where to find me." He said over his shoulder as he went to find Rangiku and give her the news he'd been wanting to tell her since the minute she'd confessed to him her biggest embarrassment.

_Waaaaahhh uwahhh uwahhhh!_

He paused suddenly as he heard a cry that left his heart skipping beats. He looked in the direction of the PICU. He walked into the facility filled with incubators encasing tiny humans and an orderly with blonde hair handed him a pink gown that hand sleeves and a matching pair of latex gloves. He put both on feeling his head swirl as he located the source of wailing that had moved him so incredibly. There, in the middle of the room sat a small infant with a head of wispy blonde hair. He moved towards the baby feeling somewhat like he had the day he'd met Rangiku Matsumoto.

When he saw the little girls face he knew that it was his daughter by the mark on her upper lip and the fox-like grin she had in between her cries.

A nurse asked him if he'd hold the child while she checked on another baby in the next room. Before he could say anything his small, infant daughter was placed in his arms and he found himself falling in love with someone all over again. This love was different but far more dangerous. It was inexplicable and he didn't think twice before somewhat stealing the child from the PICU. No one was around to tell him he couldn't after all.

The baby had calmed considerably and he found himself in so much joy as they both approached Rangiku.

"Ran…" he cooed gently, letting the little girl wrap her fingers around his thumb.

"Ran…this is our daughter…I know ya don't know it yet but ya were pregnant when ya got hit and that's how we got here." He felt himself choking up as butterflies of relief rose in his chest. His eyes stung foreignly.

He saw water droplets splatter on his daughter's face and he laughed, reaching a hand to grip his lover's.

"I think imma call her Louise." He remembered the coldness that had gripped him after the death of their first child. But _this girl_ was like the sun. She could burp and he'd fall even deeper into the pit of his feelings for Louise.

"She looks just like ya Ran. She's even got that little mark on her lip." He cradled Louise gingerly, she was just a hair bigger than the length of his hand.

He moved closer to Rangiku, shifting to lay beside her on the hospital bed. He moved ginger strands behind her ear and whispered softly,

"I got him Ran, after all this time, I got back what that man took from ya."

Gin didn't know if Rangiku could hear him. He didn't know if she'd ever wake up and blearily ask for him again. But, wherever she was he was glad in that moment to be with his lover and his child, both of which he cared for more than he was possibly capable of.

But he'd never stop trying to give them more.

* * *

Ulquiorra watched as police dragged Aizen's body into a black zip-up bag. He'd watched them take photos of the crime as well after they'd drilled him with so many unnecessary questions that he felt he might shoot one of them as well. There was a strange sense of contentment he felt now, knowing the facts behind Ayaka's murder and the motives that fueled it. He blamed himself however for what occurred to the woman. He did not know the extent of her injuries he didn't know if Gin or himself had prevent Aizen taking advantage of her. He felt like taking the scalpel the nurses had pulled from his leg and shoving into that man's face again and again until he was left with a bloody pulp.

When the detectives had finished with him he pointed them in the direction of Gin Ichimaru as he'd been asked to do. He then turned his attention to the woman. The nurses he'd stopped had informed him that she'd refused a rape kit and there was no visible bruising from what they could see. This recollection eased his premonitions but didn't eliminate their presence entirely.

He tried his luck and ventured towards her. As soon as he came close enough she reached out to him and pulled him close to her.

"Let's go home please…Ulquiorra…"

* * *

"Orihime…" Ulquiorra called softly, stroking her cheek as she gripped the fabric of his black t-shirt tight enough that it might rip from the stress. The woman still hadn't spoken since they'd departed the hospital.

Psych typically called this situation temporary muteness of speech. It occurred in patients occasionally after a trauma when they'd been left in shock.

"Let me assist you." He said attempting to pull away but she only wrapped her arms around him harder.

"_Don't_…" the faint plea escaped her sealed lips. Well, he thought, there was a start.

"Woman we are in my apartment, on my bed, miles away from the hospital." He ran his fingers through her orange tresses and pulled her close enough so that he could murmur in her ear.

"There is no reason for you to continue dwelling in fear, Orihime." He said sweetly, breathing in her floral scent. Wishing he could've erased the past few hours from her memory with his words.

She eased her vice-like grip on Ulquiorra and allowed him to stand. He pressed a chaste kiss to her forehead and pulled a long button down that he knew she favored from his closet.

She shifted her knees uncomfortably, embarrassed that he'd already seen her naked before she was ready to show him those parts of herself.

"T-Turn around…" she said shakenly. He tilted his lips in an upwards smirk and complied silently, rotating to face the wall. He listened closely hearing fabric hit the floor as well as what he believed to be his comforter being tugged back and then the patter of feet against the hardwood.

"O-Okay." He turned amused by the flush in the woman's cheeks. He saw the sparkle of her old self flare in her grey orbs.

"Would you like me to join you?" he asked her. She nodded moving to the side as he climbed underneath the warmth of the green blankets and shifted next to his girlfriend's frail from.

She scooted towards him feeling the firmness of his chest as his fingers danced through her fiery hair, combing it out and soothing her as she traced the lines of his neck and collarbone.

She peered up at him and blushed because he was studying her like she was a school subject. It was like he took mental notes every time they were alone.

"What?" she asked nervously.

"Do I frighten you?" she was taken aback by his question. She could tell from the sincerity behind the words that her answer was important to him. She steeled herself to stop trembling and reminded herself that Aizen was gone.

"No you don't." she stated reaching to touch him. Something in her answer swayed his intensity. He propped his head on one arm and allowed her for once to touch his raven strands. She felt him rest a hand on her hip and move up the curvature of her side and back down again.

"Orihime." He whispered behind closed eyes.

"Yes?" she responded enjoying their proximity and watching him be this way with her.

"Did he touch you?" she froze at his question feeling her hand plummet back to the mattress from his face. He opened his eyes to prompt an answer but she felt her vocal cords tighten up again. His hand traveled to her lower back and pulled her further into an embrace. He felt the material of his t-shirt dampen.

"H-he got so close Ulquiorra…" he sighed in relief resting his forehead aside hers, wiping the tears that fell before they could hit the pillow.

"Ulquiorra?" she ventured timidly.

"Mmm?" he responded skimming the skin of her forearm.

"Promise me you'll never leave." She begged silver clashing against emerald. He sighed deeply.

"I cannot lie to you Orihime. I cannot promise something I will not physically be able to carry out." She waited for him to continue, unsure of how to feel about his current answer.

"However…I will promise you this…" he gently moved atop her warranting a little squeak which he found amusing. He slid a hand behind her neck and used his thumb to run across her lips.

"I will protect you with all that I can until I am no longer able to protect you. In which case I would gladly lay down my life for yours." She smiled turning her eyes from him while her cheeks grew pink.

"W-why would you do that for me?" he tilted his head at her words.

"You silly woman I felt like I made that painfully obvious…" he leaned until his lips hovered less than a centimeter from hers.

"…because I _love_ you Orihime." He pressed his lips to hers as tears brimmed her eyes for the final time that night. She pulled him as close as she could possibly get with one hand and laid the other on his chest feeling the beat of his heart.

Here she'd found someone who would sacrifice their own interests and time and in the worst of cases life all for her sake. She'd found a man to love that would never lie to her, who'd never cheat on her. She'd found someone who held her heart in the palm of his hand.

She hoped he'd never try and give it back.

* * *

**A/N**: **Please review! :)**


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N:**** Here we are at long last! Let me just say that I am SO grateful for over 150 reviews! I feel so blessed! Sadly, we have arrived at the final chapter of LTM. This will serve as the 'where are they now' kind of ending. Hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

**Disclaimer:**** I do not own Bleach or any other copyrighted material.**

* * *

**Lie To Me Chapter 25**

* * *

On a cold, snowy December night, Orihime Inoue found herself reminiscing on her past. 15 years prior, on an evening very similar to this one Ulquiorra had proposed to her and made her his official life-long spouse. She even had a little certificate of proof, which she hung and framed on the wall above their bed in the master room. It made her giddy just to think about it.

She recalled how nervous he, the man who never betrayed his composure, had been as he bent down on one knee to ask her for the rest of her life to be spent with him. She'd never forget how he'd told her about the colors she'd illuminated in his life and how without her everything was as dull as it had been previous to meeting her.

She fiddled with the diamond encased on her ring on her finger anxiously. It was Christmas Eve, and they'd invited everyone over for dinner and early gift exchanges. She saw Ulquiorra's handsome reflection creep up behind her in the window she was zoning out through. She felt his hands slide around her and gently stroke the massive mountain-like hump of her belly.

"Why are you so uneasy?" he asked while pressing a soothing kiss to her neck. She fiddled with the blue flower-shaped hairpins holding up her auburn locks.

"Well I just want everything to go right you know? Sakura is almost 15 and Akio is just as good-looking as Grimmjow was, and I'm afraid Yuki will squash little May without meaning too." She fretted as Ulquiorra looked over her nervous complexion in amusement.

"You're beginning to worry the baby woman." He murmured softly, his pale hand rubbing circles over a specified portion of her stomach. She squeaked as she felt a little jab that hurt in a good way.

"He's getting more and more restless every day." She chattered pressing her own porcelain fingers over the spot.

"Ewwwww Mom and Dad are being gross again!" Ulquiorra stepped away from his very pregnant wife to deal with their eldest son, Yuki Schiffer.

Orihime laughed with one hand brushing away a stray tear and the other protecting her belly as Ulquiorra hoisted up their 9-year-old son, who looked like a miniature version of his father, over his shoulder. His raven hair was cut the same way and his skin was only a few shades darker. The only distinguishable difference in the two was Yuki's eye color, a stormy grey, which he'd gotten from her.

He flashed his silver orbs at her in dismay, but his struggling only made her cackle harder and Ulquiorra wordlessly flung their child into the cushions of the living room couch.

"Daddd…" Yuki whined flopping onto the ground in a dramatic manner, his facial expressions and personality mirroring Orihime's antics as well.

"You said they'd be here an hour ago!" he complained defeatedly, crawling towards Ulquiorra and wrapping around one of his father's legs.

Ulquiorra sighed and set to work prying his emotionally charged son off of him as their other child entered the fray.

"You did say that." Sakura chimed as she strolled towards the couch sitting down gracefully and crossing her legs in a sophisticated way. Orihime admired her daughter's looks, feeling somewhat proud because they shared so many traits.

Sakura earned her name from her short wavy locks that rivaled the color of her own. She had inherited Ulquiorra's unchanging stature and talked in the same manner. She had the body that Orihime had possessed when she was 14, which unfortunately to her father's dismay meant an overly curvaceous figure. The one thing that Sakura had that her younger sibling didn't was her father's piercing green eyes, which only added to her vibrant appearance.

"I cannot control the directionally challenged." Ulquiorra retorted eyeing his daughter's apparel in disapproval. He looked to Orihime for help and she only shook her head smiling softly. He turned away sighing and held Yuki's arm firmly as his son tried his hardest to run back towards Orihime.

The Schiffer's shenanigans came to an abrupt halt when a chime echoed throughout their home, signaling that company had arrived. Yuki raced to the door and opened it excitedly, his cheeks pink and flushed.

Rangiku Matsumoto strolled in, followed shortly by Gin who was holding little May atop his shoulders and out of Yuki's grasp.

Yuki jumped against Gin's side repeatedly trying to get to May who was only giggling at his meritless attempts. Orihime took note of her silver strands that had grown into a cute bob since the last time she'd laid eyes on the little girl. It was hard to determine which of her parents she took after more.

"Well I'll be darned Hime!" Rangiku exclaimed as she bustled toward the expecting woman, throwing her arms wide. She instantly put her hands all over the warm mass in Orihime's stomach and began introducing herself as 'Aunt Rangiku'.

Orihime smiled as she watched for entrance of the infamous Louise who walked into the mix last. Her bouncy blonde curls and fox-like grin captivated anyone who looked her way. She sashayed towards her own daughter and gripped her hands tightly. Louise was the miracle child of Gin and Rangiku who had beaten the odds and survived the terrible accident her Mom had been thrown into right before her emergency delivery.

Orihime recalled the long months after Aizen's death where Rangiku still remained unconscious and hooked up to tubes to keep her alive. Her and Ulquiorra had visited every day for the first month, then once or twice a week, and eventually they began losing hope as their appearances became scarce in seeing their injured friend.

Gin had been there every time. He had never left her side. He had raised their little girl for the whole crazy first year of her life. Feeding her, changing her diaper, and lulling her into sleep all by himself whilst holed up in a hospital sleeping every night in a cot off to the side. He updated Rangiku every day on Louise's progress. He took pictures of everything and kept the dream alive that she'd one day awaken to see all these memories she'd missed out on. Without his dedication, she really may never have come back.

The day she did, was so incredible it was still hard to believe the events that had transpired were real.

Orihime recalled walking into that room and seeing a vivacious Rangiku wide awake in that damned hospital bed. The strawberry-blonde had been shifted between cracking jokes and crying over the fact that she'd missed out on so much of their groups lives until the two people she'd wanted to talk to most appeared.

Orihime remembered mostly Gin's reaction when he saw Rangiku awake and breathing on her own again. He'd handed her their child without hesitation, tears rolling freely, and she cried and welcomed her little sweet baby into her life as Gin hovered beside them cradling them both with his arms. Rangiku had meticulously counted every finger and toe. She'd told all of them that even though she couldn't respond she'd heard every word they'd spoken to her the entire time. She thanked all of them for their support and mostly she thanked the man who'd been by her side every single minute of every day since she'd been there.

These were the things Orihime saw when she was in the presence of the hopelessly blonde Louise Matsumoto-Ichimaru.

It wasn't long before there was another hard _bang!_ at the door and Yuki was scrambling welcome the next member into the Schiffer's dwelling.

Renji Abarai stepped in carrying lots and lots of wine bottles. He greeted Yuki pleasantly and then threw him over his shoulder like he was nothing whilst Yuki squealed in joy. Renji came around fairly often, he'd been a bit tied up with work the past few months so her pregnancy was sure to be a surprise to him. As he waltzed toward Orihime a blush began spreading across his face as he took in her appearance.

"Well…if I'd known you were…well HUGE I wouldn't have brought all this crap." He said embarrassed, setting the somewhat expensive bottles of wine on the counter.

Orihime laughed and waved him off trying to ease his awkward feelings.

"It's no problem! Ulquiorra doesn't really like it when I drink that stuff anyway, you just saved me some trouble!" she said cheerily as Renji neared her, wrapping his arms around her gingerly as if he was afraid she'd pop.

"I haven't seen you in a hot minute." Rangiku teased, batting Renji's arm playfully. He smiled largely and scratched the back of his head.

"You don't seem to have changed much." He replied.

Rangiku smirked and just as she was about to say something smart there was another loud bang at the door.

Ulquiorra took over answering the knock this time and as soon as the door was just a sliver open, in busted Nel.

She ran towards Orihime talking excitedly, her aquamarine curls flying behind her, switching between French and Japanese because she was so excited. This tendency often led to her sentences being confusing and incomprehensible.

When the boisterous woman finally calmed down enough she explained how overwhelmed she was that Orihime was pregnant once again.

"What will you name the baby Hime?" she asked clutching her hands protectively in her own.

Orihime looked for Ulquiorra who was skulking around Sakura, making sure that Akio Jeagerjacques didn't swoop in and steal her away from him. She sighed and rubbed her belly lightly, a thoughtful look emanating from her glowing features.

"We were thinking about Sora." She said smiling. Her friends looked at each other incredulously and then in unison shouted:

"IT'S A BOY?" Orihime laughed as they made many different claims about their own children. Signaling with their hands and making lude gestures as Nel went through explaining what boys do when the begin reaching puberty.

Suddenly the conversation took a drastic turn when rangiku wordlessly held up her hand that glimmered in the white light of the kitchen.

There on her finger sat a rock so big that it looked like it might break her finger just from its weight.

"Me and Gin are getting hitched!" she shouted winking at her lover over her shoulder.

Orihime and Nel encircled their friend congratulating her and giving her advice about weddings.

Eventually, Orihime zoned out of the conversation looking again towards her eldest daughter. She watched as Ulquiorra tensed as Akio trotted towards Sakura.

Orihime felt as if she was looking in the face of a ghost. Akio was tall and tan and had the same shockingly electric blue hair that his father did. Apart from the slightly more disheveled hairdo, Akio was Grimmjow reincarnate. Sakura's features remained motionless as they spoke. Both of them smiling as they caught up. Louise joined the mix and Orihime smiled seeing her daughter graced with friends like she'd had in high school. She too tensed up as Neliel's other child walked into the fray of teenagers.

Kagura and Sakura had been competing against each other since they could breathe.

They really weren't that far apart in age, but they both had an interest in the same types of things. Both were exceptionally good at science, both liked playing volleyball, and both seemed to share the unspoken rivalry of their fathers before them. They constantly bickered whenever they caught even a whiff of one another.

Kagura's slender form appeared before her daughter and Orihime wondered if she'd have to intervene. Luckily, Akio and Louise did that job for her as the two began trying to tear at each other's throats. Louise took Sakura towards one direction, and Akio took his sister in another.

Orihime giggled as her husband sighed in relief and then grimaced when he caught sight of her amusement in his grief. She mouthed 'relax' to him as he wandered towards Renji and Gin who were speaking of things she didn't care to ask about.

However, what Ulquiorra missed that his wife managed to catch was Akio's glance over his shoulder at Sakura, who was also watching after him. The two both quickly averted their eyes after making contact. Both of their faces had reddened inexplicably.

* * *

When it came time to open gifts, Orihime had grown exceptionally tired. There was nothing worrying her, and nothing left unsaid plaguing the corners of her mind. She smiled as she shifted leaned on Ulquiorra's firm shoulder.

"What are you thinking?" he whispered against her head as she was still grinning goofily.

She scanned over the faces of her friends and noticed the joy in each of their expressions. Here she was in a life she hadn't planned for herself and she was more content than she'd ever imagined. She rotated slightly so that her chin was resting on her husband's shoulder as she peered into his familiar gaze.

He was the reason that she had all of this. He'd loved her since the moment he'd seen her and that thought alone left her stomach filled with butterflies. He had given her the children she'd always dreamed about and he made such a good father to each of them.

She was alive because of a scrawny boy with glasses she'd merely been acquainted with in high school.

"I'm thinking…that I love you." He looked at her strangely, as if her words had been unexpected and then he leaned in closer to her making her feel just as happily dazed as he had the first time he'd given her that expression.

He was looking at her like she was the world and he was just some insignificant terrestrial being that rotated around her.

His lips caught hers and she was lost in his emerald depths as her stormy eyes fluttered closed.

Everyone else faded into noise as Ulquiorra cupped her cheek softly, pulling her in deeper. His kisses made her skin tingle like she was on fire and she craved the feeling of the flames he ignited.

She nearly whined when he pulled away from her just to stare at her half-lidded expression in pride.

"Come with me Orihime." He said deeply, as she followed the command wordlessly. Peering around to notice that no one had even taken hint of what had just occurred between her and Ulquiorra.

Orihime waddled after Ulquiorra as quickly as her body would allow until they reached the master bedroom. She blushed furiously, wondering what his motives for bringing her back here were.

Surely he could wait until the company they had were gone? She thought nervously. Somewhat aroused by the high stakes at risk in this situation.

"Orihime." He called out, rousing her from her thoughts. He gripped her hand and guided her to the bed where he gestured for her to beside him.

She lowered herself onto the mattress as graciously as her girth would allow for and looked to her husband expectantly waiting for him to make the next move but he didn't do what she'd expected.

"Close your eyes." He said and she wondered if maybe she'd insinuated the wrong idea in her over-active imagination.

She heard the creak of a box and then felt something cool slip around her neck.

"You may open them." He instructed. She looked down and twisted the small pendant on the silver chain Ulquiorra had secured around her neck.

The pendant was a small metallic figurine of an anatomical heart. She felt tears spring to her hormonal eyes.

"Ulquiorra…" she bear-hugged the man as he returned his wife's affection in a more refined manner. When she finally released him, he looked over her, and watched her twist the pendant around in her dainty fingers. He reached for a strand of her hair, which brought her focus back on him.

"You once told me that I held your heart in the palm of my hand." She nodded waiting for what he said next.

"You also once said that the heart is not something that is tangible, but something that is felt." He twisted the red strand in between his pale knuckles.

"However, I disagree with you woman." She gave him an odd look as she cocked her head to the side a little bit and moved in closer to him, fiddling with the wrinkles in his button-down.

"I simply feel that you should have the ability to hold a semblance of my own affections in your own hand." She chuckled at his notion and pushed her nose against his.

"Ulquiorra, I already know how you feel about me, you didn't have to do this." She said wrapping her arms around one of his.

"Of course I did." He assured her looking at her intensely with those all-knowing emerald eyes.

Ulquiorra pressed her forehead against hers and she returned his stare with her own powerful emotions.

She placed one hand over Ulquiorra's chest and another gripped her gift.

She felt the beat of his pulse and looked at the pendant before looking to the man she'd received it from.

She understood why he had to give her the necklace, and why it was so important to him that she comprehend it.

This symbolized something far more valuable than the sterling silver it had been crafted with. This symbolized love, and peace, and joy. This gift encapsulated everything she'd ever need to know to remind her of how much the man who held her now felt towards her.

Here in her hand…

She held Ulquiorra's heart.

* * *

**A/N:** **Well dear readers, this is the end of Lie To Me. I have had an ****AMAZING ****experience writing this and I am again so thankful for the support and feedback from all of you over the progression of this fic. **

**I have one minor announcement. I have planned a small series about the backstory of Grimmjow and Nel that follows the plot of Lie To Me but is still a different story altogether. It will be titled 'Scars and Souvenirs' so keep watch for it if that is something you'd be interested in reading. Other than that, this story has come to an end.**

**If you have any parting thoughts, feelings, or etcetera, please leave them below!**

**Thanks again for everything you guys have done!**


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